Supreme Court Weakens Power of Federal Agencies
Landmark Ruling Ends Chevron Deference
Decision Could Have Major Implications for Environmental Regulations
The Supreme Court on Friday handed down a major victory for the conservative legal movement, ruling that federal agencies have less power to approve regulations. The decision effectively ends a legal precedent known as Chevron deference, which has given agencies broad authority to interpret laws since a 1984 Supreme Court ruling.
The Supreme Court's ruling in a pair of related cases is a significant victory for the conservative legal movement, which has long aimed to unwind or reverse Chevron deference. The decision could have major implications for environmental regulations, as well as other areas in which federal agencies have broad authority to interpret laws.
In one case, West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency, the Supreme Court ruled that the EPA did not have the authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from power plants under the Clean Air Act. The decision was a major setback for the Obama administration's climate change agenda.
In the other case, Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency, the Supreme Court ruled that the EPA had exceeded its authority by determining that a family's property was subject to federal wetlands regulations. The decision was a victory for property rights advocates and could make it more difficult for the EPA to protect wetlands.
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