Carper Statement on Supreme Court Decision to Overrule Chevron Deference

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, today released the following statement after the Supreme Court of the United States overruled the precedent set in Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council, often referred to as “Chevron Deference.”

“One day after this radical Supreme Court blocked a consequential rule to clean up air pollution, the court is now continuing its anti-environment agenda by unequivocally overruling a vital legal doctrine that has guided the relationship between Congress and every federal agency for 40 years. The Chevron Doctrine is what enables federal agencies to do the crucial, technical work of implementing the laws that Congress directs them to administer.

“Today’s decision from the Supreme Court throws jurisprudence out the window and will completely upend how the three branches of government interact as laws are implemented. As a result, the policy decisions that should be made by subject matter experts — like climate scientists, epidemiologists and biologists — will be left to individual judges who lack the expertise to make scientific and technical determinations. Make no mistake — litigants will now seek to game the system on any regulatory action that they disagree with by putting cases before friendly judges who will insert their own policy preferences.

“Today’s ruling raises numerous questions about how Congress and our federal agencies will carry out the work that the American people expect of us. This extreme court has once again made a power grab that will undermine our country’s environmental protections and the balance of power that has existed for four decades. The destructive consequences of this ruling will be felt for years to come.”

###