Supreme Court EPA ruling impact on Florida

Thursday a United States Supreme Court ruling now limits the Environmental Protection Agency’s authority.

Moving from guns, abortion, and now climate change. On the final day of its term, the conservative majority ruled the EPA does not have the authority to regulate carbon dioxide emissions from power plants. The high court ruled Congress must pass legislation to make that happen.

“This just puts pressure on the Biden Administration ultimately to start moving,” William Snape said. “Looking at not only the Clean Air Act but other authorities like the Defense Protection Act where it can increase renewable energy use and change the way it is we power our country.” Snape is a Professor at American University. He has an expertise in Environmental Law, Administrative Law, and other legal fields.

Jennifer Jones, Ph.D is the Director of the Center for Environment and Society at FGCU. She predicts the ruling will hurt Florida. “It threatens our economy, it threatens our people, it threatens our environment,” Jones said.

“With climate change comes increased storminess, sea-level rise, increased heat stress days,” Jones said. “This impacts our ability to be a hub for tourism, agriculture, all the other natural resources that our economy is built on.”

Jones is worried the ruling will slow the development and use of solar energy in Florida. She’s also afraid of what will happen to the EPA as a consequence of the ruling. “We are removing the power for an agency, in this case, to look after the health and welfare of all of us,” Jones said. “And that the ruling, I think sides with big business, over government agencies and keeping people healthy and safe.”

Florida has mostly abandoned coal plants in favor of natural gas. While cleaner than coal, it’s not as clean as wind or solar.