Sixteen Lawsuits Filed to Challenge EPA’s Decision to Regulate Greenhouse Gases

On February 16, 16 lawsuits were filed challenging the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) endangerment finding for greenhouse gases (GHGs) . By declaring GHGs a danger to public health and welfare, the EPA is obligated to regulate these gases under the Clean Air Act. The recent lawsuits came from a variety of groups including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Competitive Enterprise Institute, and the states of Texas, Alabama and Virginia.

The challenges do not directly test the science of EPA's decision to find GHGs a danger to public health and welfare, but rather the agency's process of doing so. Many industry groups and states have argued that forthcoming EPA regulations will have devastating economic consequences, while the agency has argued that it is required by law to begin regulating greenhouse gas emissions under a Supreme Court ruling in 2007. The agency plans to finalize new GHG rules for automobiles and large stationary sources by next month.

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