# Plain Language Summary: Energy Sovereignty Act

This bill would remove a federal rule that currently allows states to take action against air pollution coming from other states or countries. Right now, under Section 115 of the Clean Air Act, if pollution from another state or another country is making it harder for your state to meet federal air quality standards, your state can ask the federal government to step in and require that other state or country to reduce their pollution. It's basically a tool that lets states protect themselves when pollution crosses their borders. This bill would eliminate that tool entirely.

The practical effect is that states would lose the ability to address pollution problems that originate outside their borders. For example, if a state downwind from coal plants in another state is struggling to meet clean air standards because of that pollution drifting in, they wouldn't be able to use this federal mechanism to force the polluting state to clean up. People living in areas affected by out-of-state pollution—particularly those with asthma, heart disease, or other respiratory conditions—could face worse air quality with fewer legal options to address it. States that depend on this rule to protect their air quality would have to find other ways to handle the problem, if they can.

The bill's supporters argue it gives states more independence from federal regulations, which is where the "Energy Sovereignty" name comes from. However, critics worry it could create a race to the bottom where states with less strict pollution rules don't have to worry about affecting neighboring states, ultimately making air quality worse for millions of Americans.

Energy Sovereignty Act

Perry, Scott

Energy Sovereignty Act This bill repeals section 115 of the Clean Air Act, which addresses the remediation of international air pollution that originates from sources in the United States.