What's at Stake
The court order marked the first time a government agency had been explicitly required to consider the climate impacts of the proposed plants.
Earthjustice filed suit to force the U.S. Department of Energy to conduct a thorough environmental assessment before authorizing operation of power plants owned by U.S. corporations and constructed in Mexico to supply power to the U.S. energy market.
As a result of this suit, the court ordered that the DOE conduct an environmental assessment before authorizing electricity transmission. The order was the first time that a government agency had been explicitly required to consider the climate impacts of the proposed plants.
The Energy Department eventually produced an inadequate environmental assessment, but a legal challenge to it failed.