Maine’s climate actions hampered after Supreme Court weakens Clean Air Act

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • July 1, 2022

The U.S. Supreme Court’s Thursday decision to limit the federal government’s ability to regulate pollution will hamper Maine’s ambitious long-term climate goals. In a 6-3 vote on Thursday, the court’s conservative majority ruled for West Virginia in a case against the Environmental Protection Agency, finding the Clean Air Act that was championed by the late Maine Sen. Edmund Muskie does not allow broad ability to regulate power-plant emissions from power plants. The decision was blasted by Gov. Janet Mills and Attorney General Aaron Frey, who said it would undermine Maine’s efforts to reduce climate change effects.