BREAKING: SCOTUS Deals Another Blow to EPA Over Federal 'Clean Water' Rules
— Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) March 4, 2025
In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of San Francisco on Tuesday, limiting the Environmental Protection Agency's authority to enforce water quality regulations.
The ruling could have… pic.twitter.com/374IjF4qnb
In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of San Francisco on Tuesday, limiting the Environmental Protection Agency's authority to enforce water quality regulations.
The ruling could have far-reaching effects on the EPA's ability to regulate the country's water resources.
The case presented unusual alliances, with liberal San Francisco siding with industry groups, including the National Mining Association and American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers, in challenging the EPA’s restrictions on wastewater disposal into the Pacific Ocean.
Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr., writing for the majority, stated that while the EPA can set pollution control requirements, it cannot penalize entities simply because overall water quality fails to meet agency standards. He warned that such penalties could be excessive even when permit holders comply with regulations.
Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., along with Justices Clarence Thomas, Brett M. Kavanaugh, and Neil M. Gorsuch (in part), joined the majority opinion.
Justice Amy Coney Barrett dissented, aligning with the court’s three liberal justices—Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson—arguing that the decision weakens critical environmental protections.
The EPA is now being restrained by adverse court decisions, as well as by new leadership under
@epaleezeldin
, who has vowed to thoroughly audit the agency for waste, fraud, and abuse.
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