Attorney General Formella Joins Coalition Asking SCOTUS for Emergency Stay of EPA’s New Rule on Power Plants

Concord, NH – Attorney General John M. Formella announces that this week New Hampshire has joined a coalition of 25 states in asking the U.S. Supreme Court to issue an emergency stay on the implementation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s recently-released new rule on existing coal-, natural gas- and oil-fired power plants.

"New Hampshire has joined this coalition of states to protect our consumers and energy customers from undue burdens imposed by the EPA's new rule. The rule in question threatens to significantly impact our state's energy costs and reliability by mandating technologies that are currently impractical and costly for our power plants to implement,” said Attorney General Formella. “By seeking an emergency stay from the U.S. Supreme Court, we aim to ensure that our energy infrastructure remains stable and affordable while maintaining compliance with environmental standards. This action underscores our commitment to striking a balance between environmental protection and the economic well-being of New Hampshire residents."

This filing comes after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit’s refusal Friday to block the rule. That rule would force power plants fueled by coal or natural gas to capture smokestack emissions using currently unworkable technologies or shut down. It would regulate those plants under the Clean Air Act by imposing more stringent emissions standards.