Supporters and detractors of the recently proposed rule to limit greenhouse gas emission from existing power plants all agree that the rule will limit the construction and use of coal-burning power plants. GLLF provides a summary of the biggest stories from the Wisconsin and national media.

2011 Wisconsin Act 21 made significant changes to Wisconsin’s administrative rule-making process. One of the changes, the rule submittal deadline, is currently undergoing its first test.

The end of the legislative session on March 16, 2012 also marked the last day that an administrative rule may be submitted for review until the new legislature convenes in January of 2013. Wis. Stat. § 227.19(2). This is a change from prior law, where the last day for rule submittal was August 31st of each even numbered year.

The Wisconsin Legislature passed 192 bills and a number of resolutions during the 2011-12 legislative session. As of March 22, 145 of those bills had been signed into law. Several important regulatory related bills passed this session.

The United States Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision on March 21, ruling that property owners can sue to void compliance orders issued by the EPA immediately, rather than having to wait until the EPA decides to take the property owner to court for noncompliance. The decision makes clear access to courts is a proper response to “the strong-arming of regulated parties” by government agencies.