Supreme Court Takes Climate Pollution Case

The United States Supreme Court has agreed to hear a landmark case on greenhouse gases, potentially affirming or denying the public’s right to limit corporate pollution.

At issue is American Electric Power Co. v. Connecticut, a case filed by environmental groups and eight states against midwestern utility companies. Connecticut, New York, California, Iowa, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin claimed the power companies’ contributions to climate change made them a public nuisance, and asked courts to cap their emissions.

The case was filed before the Environmental Protection Agency’s right to regulate greenhouse gases was established, and represents an attempt by citizens to control greenhouse gases in the absence of federal mandates. As described in a previous Climate Desk story on American Electric Power Co. v. Connecticut, the case is grounded in a century-long tradition of communities holding big polluters responsible for damaging public health.

Supreme Court Takes Climate Pollution Case | Wired Science | Wired.com