The Environmental Protection Agency defended its rule limiting power plants’ greenhouse gas emissions against a legal challenge in federal court from Republican states and business groups, arguing the regulation does not threaten grid reliability as alleged. 

In April, the EPA finalized standards, requiring new and existing power plants that plan to operate past 2039 to reduce 90% of their carbon pollution by 2032. To help meet the EPA’s standards, power plants must install carbon capture and sequestration/storage technology.