By Nolan Madden In an unexpected move, the U.S. Supreme Court last Tuesday blocked the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan rules, set in place in August by President Obama to tightly restrict the nation’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from coal-based energy production. Arizona faced one of the most stringent limits under the plan, requiring it to reduce such pollutants by 52 percent by 2030 in order to meet plan guidelines–among the greatest reductions asked of any state. Most significant has been the looming expectation of coal plant closures, such as the Cholla Power Plant in Joseph City. However, the latest development is not a reason for alarm, according to Ann Becker, vice president of environmental and chief sustainability officer for Arizona Public Service Co., who spoke with The Tribune-News following the court’s Feb. 9 decision. “I think there has been a lot of attention to this, and it’s very important to take a breath and really understand what happened yesterday,” she said. “The Supreme Court did not strike down the Clean Power Plan. Instead, the court just hit the pause button until the courts can rule on the legality of EPA’s actions. That’s the way to think about it,” said Becker, referencing the ongoing lawsuit through which 27 U.S. states have sought to block the EPA carbon rule, challenging that the agency “is acting illegally.” She continued, “Another reason there is no cause for alarm is that our plans for Cholla have nothing to do with the Clean Power Plan. So we are moving forward with our plans for Cholla regardless of what happens with the Clean Power Plan.” In an official response, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality Air Quality Division Director, Eric Massey stated: “Late yesterday afternoon the Supreme Court effected a legal stay on the Clean Power Plan, holding the plan and its requirements in abeyance until the Supreme Court takes action on the case. “The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality’s role in the Clean Power Plan is to balance the environmental benefits of our programs with the impacts to the state’s economy and communities. “Our specific approach to the Clean Power Plan has been to work cooperatively with our stakeholders, our partners, and the state’s elected officials to achieve balance and plot the best path forward for our state. “The Supreme Court’s decision came unexpectedly fast, and it requires careful and thoughtful analysis to ensure that Arizona chooses the most prudent path forward. We began the process of consideration during our stakeholder meeting this morning, and we will continue seeking input from the stakeholders, partners and elected officials before making long-term decisions. We expect to have additional details by our next stakeholder meeting on March 1, 2016.”