Opinion ID: 805273
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Consequences of vacatur

Text: [8] The delay and trouble vacatur would cause are severe. Sentinel is scheduled to come on line in November, but vacatur would pave the road to legal challenges to Sentinel’s construction that could well delay a much needed power plant. Without Sentinel, the region might not have enough power next summer, resulting in blackouts. Blackouts necessitate the use of diesel generators that pollute the air, the very danger the Clean Air Act aims to prevent. See 42 U.S.C. § 7401(b)(1) (stating the purpose of the Clean Air Act is “to protect and enhance the quality of the Nation’s air”). Stopping construction would also be economically disastrous. This is a billion-dollar venture employing 350 workers. In addition, vacatur would likely require the California legislature to pass a new bill to allow the District to transfer credits from its internal bank to Sentinel, which would create needless and duplicative legislative effort. Petitioners claim that failure to vacate the EPA’s rule will allow Sentinel to continue construction, and that construction will pollute the air. But the California Energy Commission has already found that Sentinel’s construction harms are insignificant with mitigation. And that mitigation doesn’t implicate the credits at issue. [9] While we have only ordered remand without vacatur in limited circumstances, if saving a snail warrants judicial restraint, see Idaho Farm Bureau, 58 F.3d at 1405-06, so does saving the power supply. Accordingly, we remand without vacatur so that construction of Sentinel may proceed without delay. This does not authorize commencement of Sentinel’s operation without a new and valid EPA rule in place. REMANDED without VACATUR.