The Supreme Court's recent ruling in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo ends the Chevron doctrine, transferring regulatory interpretation from agencies to the judiciary.
Nick Bowlin, Joaqlin Estus, Natalia Mesa, Kylie Mohr, and Erin X. Wong report for High Country News.
In short:
- The Chevron doctrine's repeal may disrupt federal regulation, shifting interpretative power to courts.
- Environmental, tribal, and labor regulations face new legal challenges without agency deference.
- The ruling may impede climate action and conservation efforts by complicating rule implementation.
Key quote:
"It reduces the effectiveness of our federal agencies that have the expertise on staff because it is up to the judges to interpret technical and scientific aspects of implementing the law, rather than the professional scientists within agencies."
— Rebecca Turner, chief policy and partnerships officer at American Forests
Why this matters:
Judicial control over regulatory interpretation could undermine specialized agency expertise, hindering effective governance. This shift threatens progress in environmental protection, labor rights, and tribal sovereignty.
