Mass Attorney General Joins Coalition In Support of Clean Power Plan

Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey has joined a coalition of 18 states and several local governments in supporting the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Power Plan rules against legal challenges by several states and industry groups.

The rules are the culmination of a decade-long effort by Massachusetts and other states and partners to advocate for regulations reducing climate change-causing emissions from power plants.

The AG’s Office joined with the coalition in filing a motion to intervene in support of the Clean Power Plan in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

“We are proud today to join 17 state attorneys general and several local governments, in moving to intervene in support of EPA’s Clean Power Plan,” said Healey.

“The AG’s Office has long advocated for regulation of greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act, and it was our office that won the landmark Supreme Court victory in Massachusetts v. EPA, which held that greenhouse gases are air pollutants under the Clean Air Act. The Clean Power Plan is a pivotal step that will allow us to curb carbon emissions from existing power plants, and do it in a way that allows the states maximum flexibility,” said Healey.

“Here in Massachusetts, we’ve been national leaders in clean energy —from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, to energy efficiency programs, and a standard to promote greater reliance on renewable energy. Those programs have been good for Massachusetts residents and good for our regional economy. There is no time to waste. Securing these emissions reductions from power plants—the largest source of carbon dioxide emissions in the United States—is critical to putting us on a path to avoid dangerous levels of warming, and toward building a sustainable energy future,” said Healey.

The coalition includes attorneys general of California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, the District of Columbia, the cities of New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Boulder, South Miami, and Broward County in Florida.

The EPA released the Clean Power Plan under Sections 111 (d) of the Clean Air Act in August 2015.

The Clean Power Plan establishes a national goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from existing power plants by 32 percent from 2005 by 2030. The rule for existing power plants is expected to eliminate as much climate change pollution as is emitted by more than 160 million cars a year.

Earlier this year, Healey successfully helped defend the proposed rule for reducing carbon emissions from existing power plants against premature legal challenges brought by the coal industry and several coal-producing states. Several states, including Massachusetts have taken cost-effective measures to reduce carbon emissions from the power sector, including establishing renewable portfolio standards to encourage greater reliance on clean energy, implementing energy efficiency programs, and participating in market-based programs, such as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.