Supreme Court Orders Federal Government To Take New Look At EPA Regulating Automobile Emissions

Washington, D.C. (AHN) - The U.S. Supreme Court issued a 5-4 ruling to the federal government on Monday to take a new look at regulating carbon dioxide emissions from automobiles. The court said that provisions in the Clean Air Act do give the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulatory power over those and other greenhouse gas emissions from cars.

Today's ruling challenges the Bush administration's overwhelming reluctance to avoid issuing regulations that could help control global warming.

The case was filed in the Supreme Court on Aug. 31 by California and 11 other states along with environmental groups. Their aim was to force the EPA to take action to reduce the release of greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, that trap heat in the atmosphere.

It was the EPA's contention that the Clean Air Act did not give it the authority to regulate emissions from greenhouse gases, a position that the Supreme Court narrowly disagreed with.