States and cities sue Trump administration over repeal of power plant emissions rules

A coalition of Democratic-led US states and cities filed suit against the Trump administration on Thursday, challenging its repeal of federal rules that limited greenhouse gas emissions from coal- and natural gas-fired power plants.

According to the lawsuit, twenty-one states joined the legal action, arguing that dismantling the emissions limits removes key protections against planet-warming pollution and threatens to reverse decades of progress on climate policy.

The plaintiffs contend that the rules being repealed were designed to curb emissions from the power sector, one of the largest sources of greenhouse gases in the United States, and that their removal would allow higher levels of pollution from coal and gas plants.

The legal challenge is the latest in a series of disputes between Democratic-led jurisdictions and the federal government over environmental regulation. The states and cities involved are seeking to have the repeal reversed through the courts.

The case adds to a broader pattern of litigation over the administration's environmental policy, with opponents arguing the rollback undermines efforts to address climate change, while the administration has defended its approach to power plant regulation as part of its broader energy policy.

The Guardian reported on the filing.