States ask Supreme Court to stay Obama climate rules

By John Siciliano, John Siciliano

Published January 27, 2016

A group of over more than dozen states are petitioning the Supreme Court to halt the Obama administration's far-reaching climate rules for power plants.

The states are already suing in the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, but after Friday's decision by the court to not stay the rules, the states are taking the unprecedented move of going straight to the Supreme Court for a ruling to place the landmark regulations on ice.

The court of appeals still plans to take up the states' arguments. It only ruled that it would not stay the regulations before doing so. It consequently scheduled oral arguments for June.

"Without Supreme Court intervention, West Virginia and other states will suffer irreparable harm as job creators and state agencies spend untold resources to comply with a rule that is likely to be struck down as illegal," said West Virginia Attorney Genreal Patrick Morrisey, who is leading the states.