Chamber Leads Industry Coalition Against Unprecedented Power Grab
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the en banc U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit will hear oral arguments in a lawsuit brought by the U.S. Chamber and more than 160 other trade associations representing nearly every sector of the economy, businesses, labor unions, and states who are challenging EPA’s unlawful attempt to take over America’s electricity and energy sectors. U.S. Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Thomas J. Donohue released the following statement ahead of the arguments heard inState of West Virginia, et al. v. EPA:
“Today, we will make the case that the EPA’s power plant rule is a massive and unprecedented power grab by the executive branch over America’s electricity and energy systems. The EPA relied on a rarely-used paragraph in the Clean Air Act as the basis for a 2,000-page rule that included a grab-bag of policies that have already been considered and rejected by Congress.
“Not only are these regulations unlawful, they’re also a bad deal for America. The rule will drive up electricity costs for businesses, consumers and families, impose tens of billions in annual compliance costs, and reduce our nation’s global competitiveness—without any significant reduction in global greenhouse gas emissions.
“We look forward to presenting our legal arguments today, urging the court to invalidate a regulation that exceeds EPA’s authority and will cause significant economic harm to the American people.”
To read the U.S. Chamber’s brief and for more information on the case, visit the U.S. Chamber Litigation Center’s webpage here.