On Thursday, the Supreme Court struck down an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule enacted under Biden that gave them broad regulatory authority over bodies of water they previously did not have.

The court said that the EPA’s regulatory authority only extends to waters ‘with a continuous surface connection’ where the Biden administration attempted to enact rules that gave them far-reaching authority over wetlands, streams, and even small ponds under the Clean Water Act.

Democrats, including Democratic lawmakers were quick to attack the decision, which was unanimous and got support from the court’s three liberal justices.

Senator Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-Ny.) called it a ‘MAGA Supreme Court’ decision.

“This MAGA Supreme Court is continuing to erode our country’s environmental laws. Make no mistake—this ruling will mean more polluted water, and more destruction of wetlands. We’ll keep fighting to protect our waters.” He said on Twitter.

The case originated from two Idaho residents who filed a legal challenge after they were prevented from building a home near wetlands two years ago.

The White House slammed the decision as a ‘step backwards’ shortly after the opinion was released.

“It will jeopardize the sources of clean drinking water for farmers, businesses and millions of Americans,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Thursday.

Pierre struck a defiant tone, saying that Biden will ‘use every legal authority’ he has to make sure that every state has clean water.

FOX News Reports–

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., slammed the Supreme Court’s ruling Thursday that limited the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to regulate bodies of water, calling it a “MAGA” court even though the decision was 9-0.

On Thursday, the high court issued an opinion that narrowed the EPA’s broad definition of Waters of the United States (WOTUS). The court said the federal government must define WOTUS as a water source with a “continuous surface connection” to major bodies of water.

The decision upended an attempt by the Biden administration to regulate wetlands, lakes, ponds, streams and other “relatively permanent” waterways, which had relied on a broad reading of the EPA’s authority under the Clean Water Act.

 

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