Supreme Court blocks EPA’s “good neighbor” rule aimed at combating air pollution [Video]

Washington — The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to block an environmental rule that aims to curb air pollution and address harmful smog that travels from certain states into others while legal proceedings continue.

In a 5-4 decision, the court granted the request from Ohio, Indiana and West Virginia, as well as energy companies and industry groups, to pause the rule. Justice Neil Gorsuch authored the majority opinion. Joined by Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Brett Kavanaugh, Gorsuch said that the EPA failed to reasonably explain its federal implementation plan for controlling ozone pollution.

The majority said that the GOP-led states and energy industry are likely to prevail in their legal challenge to the agency’s so-called “good neighbor” plan. But Justice Amy Coney Barrett, in dissent, said that the court’s decision to block enforcement of the rule is based on an “underdeveloped theory” that is unlikely to succeed.

The court’s order, she said, …