Full D.C. Appeals Court to Decide on Obama Carbon-Cutting Plan
(WASHINGTON) — The full appeals court in Washington has elected to hear arguments in the legal fight over President Barack Obama’s plan to curtail greenhouse gas emissions, potentially accelerating the case’s path to the Supreme Court.
The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit issued its order Monday, scheduling oral arguments on the legality of the Clean Power Plan for September 27. A three-judge panel had been scheduled to hear the case June 2.
About two dozen mostly GOP-led states sued over the carbon-cutting Obama plan, which aims to slow climate change by reducing power-plant emissions by one-third. The Supreme Court has delayed implementation until the legal challenges are resolved.
The nine-judge appeals panel set to hear the case could favor Obama. Five were appointed by Democratic presidents.
