Biden’s Climate Ambitions Jump as Gas Prices Rise


But Bobby Andres, senior policy adviser to the Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over clean energy tax provisions, said legislators must start working “very quickly” to move a new version of the law. “We still don’t have a new deal to move forward,” he said, adding, “Congress certainly may not be able to achieve that. Failure is unfortunately a possibility.”

Meanwhile, White House aides are concerned that regulations that force polluting industries to cut emissions could be severely limited by the Supreme Court. The Environmental Protection Agency is preparing two regulations to reduce emissions from vehicle exhaust pipes and power plant chimneys. Analysts say that if these rules are strict and come into effect soon, they could reduce the country’s greenhouse pollution and accelerate its transition to electric vehicles and wind and solar power.

However, the EPA did not agree with West Virginia v. He is pending a Supreme Court decision in his Environmental Protection Agency case. Backed by some of the country’s biggest coal companies, the attorney general wants the justices to sharply limit, if not remove, the agency’s authority to regulate greenhouse gas pollution from power plants.

After the oral discussions of February, Legal experts said they believed the majority of judges, six of whom were appointed by Republican presidents, including three appointed by Trump, would sympathize with the plaintiffs. “This is a serious threat to regulation,” said Richard Revesz, who teaches environmental law at New York University, and gave a legal brief to support the administration in the case.

The agency could still make an impact with another rule not expected to be completed until 2023, designed to force auto companies to rapidly increase sales of zero-emission electric vehicles.

Mr. Biden’s allies remain hopeful. Massachusetts Democratic Senator Ed Markey said the president approached him at a meeting. Democratic retreat in Philadelphia A few weeks ago, to quietly assure that the climate remains a priority. “He has made it clear to me that he is committed to having a strong climate package become law this year,” Senator Markey said.

Mr. Podesta said that if that’s true, the president should keep talking about it: “At the end of the day, he’ll have to present the case to the American people.”

Lisa Friedman contributing reporting.



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