The Supreme Court’s conservative justices have raised concerns about the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) rule on cross-state air pollution, casting doubts on its implementation during oral arguments. The rule, aimed at reducing air pollution that spans 23 states, was met with criticism as the justices ponder whether to halt its enforcement while lower legal challenges are ongoing.
The EPA’s plan, announced last March, under the “good neighbor” provision of the Clean Air Act, was designed as a national strategy to curb air pollution crossing state borders. However, the conservative justices, holding a 6-3 majority, expressed reservations on whether the agency adequately considered potential changes in the plan if certain states were excluded due to litigation. Notably, the agency had previously rejected individual plans from each of the 23 states involved.
Simultaneously, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona’s announcement at the White House briefing brought relief to nearly 153,000 student loan borrowers. These individuals, who borrowed $12,000 or less and had been repaying their loans for at least 10 years, were informed about their loan balances being zeroed out under the Biden administration’s new repayment plan, known as SAVE, launched last summer.
Furthermore, the Supreme Court appeared sympathetic to a group seeking to temporarily block another EPA rule aimed at reducing air pollution from power plants and industrial facilities in 23 states that are reluctant to adjust their emissions policies. During oral arguments, the conservative justices expressed skepticism about the EPA’s implementation process, while the liberal justices questioned the wisdom of placing the rule on hold before lower courts have had the opportunity to review it.
The contested “good neighbor” provision of the Clean Air Act, central to the case, mandates that “upwind” states reduce emissions affecting the air quality in “downwind” states. As the legal proceedings continue, the implications of these developments are poised to shape environmental policy and the management of student loans in the United States.
