Evergreen Reporter

In response to today’s U.S. Supreme Court decision in West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Climate Alliance issued the following statement:

“We are deeply disappointed in this regressive decision, but it only hardens our resolve to act with the boldness and urgency the climate crisis demands. At a time when we’re seeing devastating droughts, wildfires, and storms become the norm, the Supreme Court has sided with polluters at the expense of the American people,” said Alliance co-chairs Governors Hochul (NY), Inslee (WA), and Newsom (CA). “This ruling makes clear that the actions of governors and state legislatures are more important than ever before. Thankfully, state authority to curb greenhouse gas emissions has not changed. Today, we reaffirm our commitment to decarbonizing the power sector using our authority at the state level. We will continue moving forward with bold climate action in the states to protect the health and pocketbooks of the American people.”

Governors in the Alliance are leading the way in decarbonizing the power sector through ambitious state policy pathways and programs: 

• 22 members have renewable and clean energy standards for electricity.  
• 18 members have 100 percent zero-carbon or carbon-neutral electricity goals. 
• 14 members have economy-wide net-zero emissions goals. 
• 12 members participate in carbon market programs that cap emissions from power plants.  

All 24 governors in the Alliance have pledged to collectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 26-28% below 2005 levels by 2025, at least 50-52% below 2005 levels by 2030, and collectively achieve overall net-zero greenhouse gas emissions as soon as practicable, and no later than 2050.

For more information on the bipartisan climate actions being deployed by Alliance states to decarbonize across sectors, see our Fact Sheet.

Inslee hosted a virtual media availability Thursday morning in response to the decision. He was joined by state Sen. Reuven Carlyle and state Reps. Joe Fitzgibbon and Davina Duerr. The state leaders affirmed that Washington state would continue pursuing aggressive policies to combat climate change and protect the health and safety of communities all across the state.

_{Source: https://www.governor.wa.gov/news-media/inslee-and-us-climate-alliance-respond-us-supreme-court-decision-west-virginia-v-epa}