West Virginia Leads Coalition Seeking to Block EPA’s Coal-Fired Plant Rule

The coalition argues that producers must choose between attempting to survive under a harsh new regulatory regime or exiting the industry altogether.

A view of the coal-fueled Oak Grove Power Plant in Robertson County, Texas, on April 29, 2024. Brandon Bell/Getty Images

A 25-state coalition led by West Virginia has filed an emergency petition asking the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a lower court ruling that allowed a federal regulation on carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants to remain in force.

West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey said in a July 23 press release that the coalition had filed a petition asking the Supreme Court to immediately block implementation of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) recently-released rule that seeks to cut greenhouse gas emissions in existing coal-fired plants and any new natural gas plants.