Supreme Court Overturns Chevron Precedent Limiting Federal Regulatory Power
Legal Experts Say EPA Will Still Be Hampered By Decision
Fishing Industry Challenges EPA Rule
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Friday significantly weakened the power of federal agencies to approve regulations, overturning a 40-year-old precedent that made it easier for them to implement their policies.
The 6-3 ruling in two related cases involving the fishing industry is a major victory for businesses and industry groups that have long argued that the Chevron doctrine gives too much leeway to agencies.
The Chevron doctrine, established in a 1984 case, says that courts should defer to an agency's interpretation of a statute if it is reasonable. The Supreme Court on Friday ruled that this deference is no longer required and that courts should instead give a "fair reading" to the statute.
Legal experts say the decision will make it more difficult for federal agencies to implement their regulations, as they will now have to convince courts that their interpretation of the law is the correct one.
The fishing industry challenges at issue in the cases stemmed from a rule issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2012 that limited the amount of bycatch, or unintended catch, of fish in certain areas. The fishermen argued that the rule was overly burdensome and that the EPA had exceeded its authority in issuing it.
The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the fishermen, saying that the EPA had not adequately justified its decision to impose the limits. The court also said that the Chevron doctrine did not apply in this case because the statute at issue was not ambiguous.
The decision is a major blow to the EPA and other federal agencies that rely on the Chevron doctrine to implement their regulations. It is also a victory for businesses and industry groups that have long argued that the doctrine gives too much power to agencies.
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