Environmental Leader

In a 5-4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that the EPA has authority to regulate vehicle emissions, USATODAY reports.

The Bush administration had argued that any limits on new cars and trucks would be incremental at best and not help solve the nation’s pollution problems related to increased carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. The administration also argued that the agency lacked the authority to regulate air pollutants associated with climate change under the Clean Air Act.

While the court stopped short of saying that the EPA must actually limit vehicle emissions, it also said “the EPA can avoid taking further action only if it determines that greenhouse gases do not contribute to climate change or if it provides some reasonable explanation as to why it cannot or will not exercise its discretion to determine whether they do.”