Tough new emissions limits for US power plants were delayed just hours before they were due to come into force following a ruling by a Federal appeals court.
The regulations would have introduced new limits on sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide for 27 states from the beginning of this month under rules formulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in July.
The EPA estimates the regulations will prevent 34,000 premature deaths, 15,000 heart attacks and 400,000 cases of asthma, amounting to around $280bn a year in health benefits.
However, the limits were hotly contested by a number of influential US utilities and industrial groups, which claimed the introduction date did not allow enough time to install pollution-controlling equipment, would drive up energy prices and force some plants to shut down.
Texas, along with 14 other states, launched a legal challenge to the rules, with Texan officials alleging the EPA included the state in its final regulations without allowing it to provide input on how it would be affected. They also claimed the agency used inaccurate assumptions about Texas' electricity grid when developing the regulations.
Both utilities and states have now won at least a temporary reprieve after the court granted a delay to the introduction of the new rules pending further court review on Friday, a decision both the EPA and green campaigners criticised.
"The EPA firmly believes that when the court does weigh the merits of the rule it will ultimately be upheld," the agency said in a statement.
"Today's judicial decision temporarily halts implementation of life-saving clean air protections for 240 million Americans pending a full review of the facts and law," added Vickie Patton, general counsel for the Environmental Defense Fund. "The pollution reductions at stake are some of the most important clean air protections for children, families and communities across the Eastern half of the United States."
