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Chevron U.S.A., Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc.

Country/Territory
United States of America
Type of court
National - higher court
Date
Jun 25, 1984
Source
UNEP, InforMEA
Court name
Supreme Court of the United States
Seat of court
Washington D.C.
Judge
Stevens
Marshall
Rehnquist
OConnor
Reference number
467 U.S. 837
Language
English
Subject
Air & atmosphere, Legal questions
Keyword
Economy and environment Air pollution (stationary sources)
Abstract
This case dealt with the question whether an agency’s construction of the statute which it administered was permissible. According to the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1977 certain States were obliged to establish a permit program regulating "new or modified major stationary sources" of air pollution. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations in 1981 permitted a State to adopt a plantwide definition of the term "stationary source". An existing plant that contained several pollution-emitting devices could modify one piece of equipment without meeting the permit conditions if the alteration would not increase the total emissions from the plant. Thereby a State could treat all of the pollution-emitting devices within the same industrial grouping as though they were encased within a single "bubble." Respondents stated that the "bubble concept" was contrary to law. The Supreme Court held that EPA’s plantwide definition was a permissible construction of the statutory term "stationary source. It was of the view that Congress did not have a specific intention as to the applicability of the "bubble concept" in these cases. It emphasized that the plantwide definition was fully consistent with the policy of allowing reasonable economic growth while at the same time serving environmental objectives. The interpretation of the statute represented a reasonable accommodation of manifestly competing interests, and was entitled to deference.
Full text
USSC_CR_0467_0837_ZO.html

References

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