25 attorneys general suing EPA over Biden's new power plant rules

25 states file emergency appeal to pause new EPA regulations

27 states previously sued; appeals court sided with Biden
New round of litigation aims to pause the new rules
Officials worry over power plant impact if regulations stand

Updated: Jul 26, 2024 / 07:37 PM EDT

FILE – Taillights trace the path of a motor vehicle at the Naughton Power Plant, Jan. 13, 2022, in Kemmerer, Wyo. Bill Gates and his energy company are starting construction at their Wyoming site adjacent to the coal plant for a next-generation nuclear power plant he believes will “revolutionize” how power is generated. (AP Photo/Natalie Behring, File)

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(NewsNation) — Republican attorneys general for over half the nation are taking action to prevent new emissions regulations from impacting vehicle manufacturers and their power plants.

The 25-state push, led by Kentucky, is in relation to the mandates outlined in “Multi-Pollutant Emissions Standards for Model Years 2027 and Later Light-Duty and Medium- Duty Vehicles,” which the Biden administration described as setting “more protective standards” in cars starting in 2027.

Released in April 2024, the standards have been contested previously, with all 27 Republican attorney generals supporting the first round of lawsuits against the regulations.

Through the Clean Air Act, the Environmental Protection Agency would require car manufacturers to create “zero-emission vehicles and plug-in-hybrid electric vehicles in compliance with calculations, medium-duty vehicle incentive multipliers, and vehicle certification and compliance.”

Simply put, existing coal and natural gas power plants must lower carbon emissions by 90% before 2032 — or close entirely.

Also outlined are regulations about “refueling emissions from incomplete medium-duty vehicles, and battery durability and warranty requirements for light-duty and medium-duty electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.”

Other topics tackled in the rules are aftermarket fuel conversions, evaporative emission test procedures, fuel economy tests and importing parts.

In a July 24 statement, Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares said the new regulations “hinder American energy production, risking the reliability of our power grid and the livelihoods of countless workers. We are seeking relief from the Supreme Court to ensure that American energy needs are met without jeopardizing economic stability.”

According to reporting from the Virginia Mercury, the appeal is still pending before Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts because of similar unresolved lawsuits.

States included in the petition are: