Justices do not decide whether to hear greenhouse gas cases at Supreme Court's first conference of new term

The U.S. Supreme Court did not take an opportunity presented by its Sept. 30 conference to grant review of a court of appeals decision that upheld federal authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act.

The justices, meeting for the first time during the 2013-14 court term, issued no orders in response to nine petitions for certiorari related to the case.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit held in June 2012 that EPA acted properly in designated carbon dioxide as a threat to public health and welfare under the Clean Air Act.

That endangerment finding is one of the core issues in the various requests for review of the D.C. Circuit ruling.

A 2007 decision of the Supreme Court known as Massachusetts v. Environmental Protection Agency forced EPA into that action by holding that the nation's principal air pollution law compels the agency to impose regulations on greenhouse gas emissions.

The cases are American Chemistry Council v. Environmental Protection Agency, No. 12-1248; Coalition for Responsible Regulation v. Environmental Protection Agency, No. 12-1253; Chamber of Commerce of the United States v. Environmental Protection Agency, No. 12-1272; Energy Intensive Manufacturers Working  Group on Greenhouse Gas Regulation v. Environmental Protection Agency, No. 12-1254; Pacific Legal Foundation v. Environmental Protection Agency, No. 12-1153; Southeastern Legal Foundation v. Environmental Protection Agency, No. 12-1268; Texas v. Environmental Protection Agency, No. 12-1269; Utility Air Regulatory Group v. Environmental Protection Agency, No. 12-1146 ; and Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency, No. 12-1152.