Supreme Court overturns landmark Chevron decision: What it means?

The Supreme Court overturned the 40-year-old Chevron decision yesterday in a landmark 6–3 ruling along ideological lines, curtailing the ability of federal agencies like the FCC and CDC to interpret laws it is charged with implementing when laws are ambiguous.

The move is expected to complicate the regulation of the environment, public health and workplace safety.

The Chevron deference originated from a 1984 Supreme Court case, letting agencies determine how to implement vague laws to regulate industries they oversee.

The doctrine was challenged by fishing companies, arguing it violated constitutional principles by transferring interpretive authority from courts to the executive branch.

In the past, the Chevron decision had supported thousands of regulations, but conservatives and business groups criticized it for granting excessive power to government agencies. Friday’s ruling marks a significant victory for them.

The case, though centered on fishery rules, symbolizes broader attacks on federal agencies’ authority. With the precedent gone, judges will have the power to determine the application of certain statutes.

Critics fear that the ruling will empower judges, who are less familiar with certain subjects like emissions, to undermine protections and hinder the federal government’s ability to address specific areas like modern environmental challenges that include climate change and the protection of endangered species.

But, it might not significantly impact the regulation of toxic chemicals, as these regulations rely more on scientific assessments than statutory interpretation.

Roughly 17,000 lower court decisions and 70 Supreme Court rulings that have used the Chevron deference will still stand. However, the decision may lead to increased litigation against federal agencies and heightened congressional scrutiny of environmental regulations proposed by the Biden administration.