Supreme Court Limits Federal Regulatory Power on Environment

Recent Supreme Court decisions have limited the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) regulatory powers, impacting its ability to enforce environmental laws, such as the Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act. The court overturned the Chevron doctrine, affecting how agencies interpret statutes, and stayed regulations on greenhouse gases crossing state lines. The Biden administration anticipated these limitations, adapting major vehicle and power plant emission rules accordingly. Additionally, a federal appeals court rejected requests to halt EPA's methane emission rule for the oil and gas sector, emphasizing the importance of controlling potent greenhouse gases like methane.