NOTE TO STUDENTS: Before answering the questions, read the “Background” below.

1. The first paragraph of a news article should answer the questions who, what, where and when. List the who, what, where and when of this news item. (NOTE: The remainder of a news article provides details on the why and/or how.)

2. For what reasons are 24 states suing the EPA on President Obama’s new rule for power plants in every state?

3. What are the states (led by West Virginia) asking the U.S. Court of Appeals to do?

4. a) Why are so many states opposed to President Obama’s new rule?
b) List the reasons Attorney General Morrisey gave for the states’ opposition to President Obama’s new EPA rule.

5. What specifically does President Obama want to do through the controversial new EPA Clean Power Plan rule?

6. How does the EPA defend its new rule?

7. a) List the states joining West Virginia in opposing the onerous new regulations.
b) Ask a parent if he/she thinks your state should take part in opposing the drastic cuts in coal use and to explain why or why not. (After reading this article and Attorney General Morrisey’s explanation and the EPA’s defense, does he/she think the rules are onerous?)

8. Coal is the cheapest, most abundant and reliable source of energy currently. Many EPA laws require coal power plants to use “clean coal.” For those who believe coal is causing catastrophic global warming, would requiring power plants to use clean coal technology be unreasonable?