Supreme Court dismantles the historical role of federal agencies

With multiple radical decisions this year, the current Supreme Court has dismantled the historical role of federal agencies to protect the public from economic and environmental harm wrought by corporations and extreme state governments. Previously, whenever Congress passed a law that is vague or ambiguous, lower courts have held that federal agencies are allowed to establish the details to “fill in the blanks.” The rationale is simple, career federal employees are the experts best qualified to make those decisions.  

Last week, with the ruling they made on the “Chevron case,” this Supreme Court has transferred power from federal agencies to judges. The court effectively made it easier to overturn regulations that govern wide-ranging aspects of American life, especially regarding environmental protection. 

This decision confirms what many have feared with this particular configuration of the Supreme Court, which was created to be a bipartisan and unbiased branch of our government. Judges, rather than scientific experts, will now be making countless decisions on issues of air and water pollution, land use, chemical toxins, and the climate crisis. It gives a huge new advantage to corporations over individuals, and big polluters over the common good. This is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream of the notorious Koch Brothers, who funded the case.

This is one of the most conspicuous examples of it really does matter who you put in charge of state and federal governments i.e. who you vote for, because, among many other things, final decisions will be  made by all – important judges. Bear that in mind with the election this fall.

Read the Salt Lake Tribune article on the Supreme Court decision here.