Supreme Court Rules EPA Can Regulate Vehicle Emissions

In a 5-4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court today ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does have the authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles. The decision is seen as a defeat for President Bush, who has long held that no scientific proof exists connecting greenhouse gases to global warming and climate change.

The court's decision -- its first in a case involving global warming -- held that vehicle emissions, including carbon dioxide, fall within the EPA's definition of air pollutants.

Writing for the majority, Justice John Paul Stevens stated, "The EPA has offered no reasoned explanation for its refusal to decide whether greenhouse gases cause or contribute to climate change."

While the court did not require the EPA to impose limits on vehicle emissions, it did say that "the EPA can avoid taking further action only if it determines that greenhouse gases do not contribute to climate change or if it provides some reasonable explanation as to why it cannot or will not exercise its discretion to determine whether they do."

Joining Justice Stevens in the majority were Justices David Souter, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer and Anthony Kennedy.

Dissenting were Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito.

The case decided today was Massachusetts v. EPA

In Depth Analysis:
Supreme Court Rules EPA Can Regulate Greenhouse Gases (US Politics)
Historic Turning Point Global Warming Battle (Environment)
Most Americans Believe Global Warming is a Threat (Environment)

Also See: NSF Spins Greenhouse Gasses