Supporter, 

After reading the leaked Supreme Court draft opinion last month, I was angry about the imminent threat to reproductive justice and fearful for a future without self-determination around healthcare choices, including the right to an abortion. 

The possibility of the overturning of Roe v Wade is a stark reminder that the Supreme Court's decisions have a significant impact on our daily lives. 

That's why I want to tell you about another case that could have devastating consequences that infringe on our right to a healthy climate. 

Any day now, we are expecting final ruling on West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). At stake? The EPA's ability to reduce greenhouse gas pollution from power plants. 

The power-plant sector accounts for more than 25% of all climate-disrupting carbon dioxide emissions¹. Fortunately, thanks to a previous Supreme Court ruling, the Clean Air Act gives the EPA broad authority to regulate carbon dioxide emissions from the power sector.

But all that could change with this Supreme Court case brought by right-wing politicians and coal industry executives – all desperately trying to sabotage the EPA's ability to do its job. 

Supporter, this attack on the EPA's authority couldn't come at a worse time—just as the planet nears the tipping point of the climate crisis. Our legal team has played a key role, along with our allies in the environmental movement, in defending the EPA's authority and keeping the Clean Air Act intact. 

But this case demonstrates the lengths to which the coal industry will go to stop climate action – and all that we are up against. While we've been fighting in court, our advocacy team continues to rally Congress to pass transformative investments in climate, jobs, and justice. And we're working around the country for state and local policies that will mean real impact for so many of our communities. Given the magnitude of the climate crisis, we need every one of these tools.

This is an all-hands-on-deck moment. The Court could rule anytime before the end of June. Please, help protect our climate and stop polluter-backed special interest groups and far-right extremists by becoming a monthly member now + claim your FREE tote bag >>

We knew the steady, stealthy work by the Trump administration to undermine our bedrock environmental laws would impact the fight for climate action and clean air for years—and that's precisely the goal of this Supreme Court case.

The coal companies and politicians litigating this case are using a legal theory completely fabricated by the Trump administration to decimate the EPA's authority to take meaningful action to reduce power plants' dangerous carbon dioxide emissions. If these polluters prevail, it will set us back decades in EPA's ability to rein in corporate polluters.

And the damage doesn't end there. These polluters and extremist politicians are directly targeting federal agencies' fundamental authority to develop policies to protect the public's health, welfare and safety. And while we may dismiss this as the work of special interests and far-right conservatives, the Court's decision to take the case suggests that some Justices, at least, may be sympathetic to their arguments. 

Please, help our lawyers fight for the climate while our advocacy team works toward legislation to tackle climate change on Capitol Hill by becoming a monthly member today and claim your FREE gift >>

It's no exaggeration to say this is one of the most important legal battles we have ever faced. I hope we can count on you to fight alongside us to defeat the coal industry and its political allies and secure a just, prosperous, and healthy future for all of us.

Thank you for your support today.

With deep appreciation,

Joanne Spalding
Chief Climate Counsel
Sierra Club

P.S If the court doesn't rule our way in the coming weeks, we could lose one of the best tools we have to scale down climate pollution. We need to move quickly to find legislative solutions to reduce carbon emissions—or risk losing all the progress we've made. Please, support our legal and legislative advocacy efforts with a monthly membership to the Sierra Club today + grab your FREE tote bag.

¹https://www.epa.gov/ghgreporting/ghgrp-power-plants