In 2015, the Environmental Protection Agency, a federal agency under the executive branch, adopted the Clean Power Plan, a set of standards for emissions from existing “stationary sources” like power plants. The plan included measures related to issues outside of the power plant itself, like prioritizing renewable energy sources over carbon-emitting sources. Under the Clean Air Act, states could adopt the Clean Power Plan’s measures, or they could adopt their own measures, so long as the adopted measures met the EPA’s emission-reduction targets. A number of industry groups and states sued to stop the application of the Clean Power Plan.

Classroom Case Study>>

This classroom case study provides:

• background on the legal issues in the case;
• facts of the case;
• key legal definitions;
• argument summaries for the petitioner and respondent; and
• focus questions for fostering classroom discussion

The classroom case study was modified from PREVIEW of United States Supreme Court Cases. It can be used for teacher reference and provides a more detailed look at the case.