Supreme Court Overturns Chevron Doctrine and Threatens Climate Progress
Washington, D.C. – This morning, the Supreme Court overturned the Chevron Doctrine, a landmark decision that has shaped the role of the federal government for the past 40 years. Chevron enabled federal agencies to make decisions and administer ambiguous laws at their discretion by applying their technical expertise. The courts only overturned those agency decisions if they determined the agency clearly overstepped.
Rules established by the executive branch are now at risk of being legally challenged in court, which will have far-reaching implications for major components of public life. More than 19,000 court decisions have relied upon the doctrine since its inception, including agriculture, education, energy, environment, food and drug safety, and more.
In response to the decision, Green For All Policy Director Kyle Kammien issued the following statement:
“Today, we embark on a concerning and uncertain frontier. For the first time since 1984, rules that limit pollution and protect our communities are at risk of being altered or revoked entirely by judges who don’t hold technical expertise and are not politically accountable to the American people. This decision threatens progress toward climate justice as decision making will shift from agency experts to an overburdened court system that cannot navigate complex technical issues.”
“Now more than ever, we will need strong leadership from Congress and bold climate action – a notion that seems out of reach in today’s political environment. We also need a strong climate movement built upon common ground that centers communities most impacted by poverty and pollution. With agencies no longer able to leverage their expertise to make crucial decisions, we must double down on our advocacy for bipartisan legislation and strong regulatory actions at the state level that forge a clear path for a greener future for all.”
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