Environmental and public health groups filed a lawsuit in the D.C. Circuit to stop the EPA from repealing the 2024 carbon pollution standards for power plants. The standards, which apply to existing coal and new gas plants, were estimated to deliver $370 billion in net climate and health benefits, with benefits 20 times the costs to industry. The groups argue the repeal violates the Clean Air Act and ignores Supreme Court precedent. The lawsuit, led by NRDC, EDF, and others, points to rising health risks from extreme heat and storms, plus lost investment. An NRDC analysis says the administration's policies could destroy $700 billion in new power sector investments and cut planned carbon reductions in half. The outcome matters for anyone tracking carbon markets or grid decarbonization, since it directly affects the pace of coal retirements and gas plant compliance.
