Court tosses Trump rule limiting emissions regulations

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A panel of federal appeals judges Washington, D.C., on Monday nixed a Trump administration rule that would have prevented the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from setting greenhouse gas limits on multiple polluting industries.

The rule, finalized just before President Trump left office, only allows greenhouse gas limits on power plants, exempting activities like such as oil and gas production and iron and steel manufacturing.

The regulation says that only sectors whose pollution makes up more than 3 percent of the country’s  greenhouse gas emissions are “considered to contribute significantly to dangerous air pollution.”

Calculations from the EPA determined that 2.5 and 3 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions come from the oil and gas sector.

Environmental and public health groups, as well as several states, sued the EPA over the rule, which critics have said is arbitrary and would give a free pass to polluters.

The three-judge panel of Judith Rogers, Robert Wilkins and David Sentelle, Clinton, Obama and Regan appointees respectively, decided to vacate the rule after the Biden administration asked them to do so.

Environmental groups cheered the court order.

“The Trump Administration tried to tie EPA’s hands by setting an arbitrary threshold for when polluters could be regulated,” said Environmental Defense Fund senior attorney Rosalie Winn said in a statement. “Today’s court decision leaves the Biden administration free to set standards for climate pollution based on solid science and law.”

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Stuart Turley is President and CEO of Sandstone Group, a top energy data, and finance consultancy working with companies all throughout the energy value chain. Sandstone helps both small and large-cap energy companies to develop customized applications and manage data workflows/integration throughout the entire business. With experience implementing enterprise networks, supercomputers, and cellular tower solutions, Sandstone has become a trusted source and advisor.   He is also the Executive Publisher of www.energynewsbeat.com, the best source for 24/7 energy news coverage, and is the Co-Host of the energy news video and Podcast Energy News Beat. Energy should be used to elevate humanity out of poverty. Let's use all forms of energy with the least impact on the environment while being sustainable without printing money. Stu is also a co-host on the 3 Podcasters Walk into A Bar podcast with David Blackmon, and Rey Trevino. Stuart is guided by over 30 years of business management experience, having successfully built and help sell multiple small and medium businesses while consulting for numerous Fortune 500 companies. He holds a B.A in Business Administration from Oklahoma State and an MBA from Oklahoma City University.