Officials in 24 states want president-elect Trump to cancel the Clean Power Plan put forth by the Obama administration, says Reuters. The plan calls for lowering power-plant emissions 32 percent from 2005 levels by 2030, but the Supreme Court has delayed its implantation until a U.S. district court in the District of Columbia decides whether the order is legal. The case was originally brought to the Supreme Court when 27 states, backed by business interests, argued that lowering coal emissions would damage their economies, says Scientific American.
The most recent coalition of states that beseeched Trump for his support against the measure was “headed by West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton,” and suggested that ‘Congress take action to prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from drafting similar regulations in the future,” says Reuters.
“The order [to withdraw the plan] should explain that it is the administration’s view that the [Clean Power Plan] is unlawful and that EPA lacks authority to enforce it,” explained Morissey. “The executive order is necessary to send an immediate and strong message to States and regulated entities that the [Trump] administration will not enforce the rule.”