The Supreme Court is poised to decide on the future of Chevron deference, a key doctrine for federal agencies, with potential significant changes expected instead of a full repeal.
Pamela King reports for E&E News.
In short:
- The Supreme Court is reviewing Chevron deference, a 40-year-old legal principle allowing federal agencies to interpret unclear laws.
- Justices may choose to limit the doctrine rather than overturn it, potentially setting new precedents for lower courts.
- Legal experts predict significant impacts on future regulatory cases if the doctrine is weakened.
Key quote:
“We cannot expect—and agencies working on rules now cannot expect—courts to defer to them in the future in the way that they deferred under Chevron.”
— Lisa Heinzerling, Georgetown University law professor
Why this matters:
Changes to Chevron deference could restrict the ability of federal agencies like the EPA to enforce regulations, impacting health and environmental policies nationwide. Read more: Supreme Court undoing 50 years’ worth of environmental progress.
