U.S. Supreme Court Decision

In a decision which has far reaching implications, the United States Supreme Court ruled that U.S. EPA has authority under the Clean Air Act to regulate air pollutants that may contribute to global warming, such as carbon dioxide, in the case of Massachusetts v. EPA, 549 U.S. 497 (2007).  The Supreme Court is requiring EPA to make a determination if greenhouse gases cause or contribute to air pollution that would be reasonably anticipated to endanger public health or welfare. If EPA determines that greenhouse gases do contribute to climate change, this Supreme Court decision opens the door to U.S. EPA promulgating far reaching regulations covering vast areas of the United States economy that contribute greenhouse gas emissions, including areas not currently regulated for air emissions, such as office buildings and large cattle ranches.