SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A coalition of 22 Democratic-led states has sued the Trump administration over its decision to ease restrictions on coal-fired power plants.
In June, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency eliminated the its Clean Power Plan and replaced it with a new rule that gives states more leeway in deciding required upgrades for coal-fired power plants.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, says the new rule violates the federal Clean Air Act because it does not meaningfully replace power plants' greenhouse gas emissions.
The lawsuit was filed by attorneys general in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia.