A 2010 state law designed to prevent Arizona from limiting greenhouse gasses could prevent state regulators from coming up with a plan to limit carbon dioxide emissions from power plants without legislative approval.
That means the federal government could be left to choose how to implement new air rules proposes by President Barack Obama this week. The Environmental Protection Agency rules are designed to allow states to devise the most efficient and least costly ways to cut carbon dioxide emissions.
But the 2010 law specifically barred new state rules or regional agreements to reduce greenhouse gasses without approval of the Republican-controlled Legislature, which has repeatedly opposed new federal regulations.
Republican Rep. Frank Pratt says lawmakers may grumble but would rather have state regulators write a plan than the EPA.