Dive Brief:
- Republican gubernatorial wins could influence the Obama Administration's plan to regulate carbon more significantly than a conservative Senate majority, reports E&E Publishing, as governors have direct input into how their states will react to environmental regulation.
- There is growing concern that newly-elected Republican governors could reject calls to comply with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rules, complicating implementation of the regulations and perhaps forcing the federal government to make changes.
- Republican Gov. Rick Scott's win in Florida was a particularly stinging loss to clean energy advocates and their financial backers led by billionaire Tom Steyer. Activists spent millions in the state highlighting clean energy and environmental needs.
Dive Insight:
E&E Publishing reports a string of Republican victories in gubernatorial races could have more impacts on clean energy policy than the new Senate majority. The EPA's proposed Clean Power Plan gives states wide latitude in how they choose to comply with emissions goals, leading some to fear that GOP wins on the state level could weaken efforts to fight climate change.
In Wisconsin, for example, Republican Gov. Scott Walker was re-elected and has vowed to fight the new rules. Republican Brad Schimel, who was elected as the state's new attorney general, has also indicated he will oppose the rules in court.
In Arkansas, Republican Asa Hutchinson beat out the Democratic incumbent. In the past, Asa has said he opposes the new carbon rules, indicating he does not believe the coal-heavy state has the technology in place to meet new regulations.
One win for environmentalists came in Pennsylvania, where Democratic challenger Tom Wolf defeated Gov. Ton Corbett. Wolf has said he wants Pennsylvania to take part in a regional carbon-trading structure.
