A divided Supreme Court on Tuesday made it harder for environmental regulators to limit water pollution, ruling for San Francisco in a case about the discharge of raw sewage that sometimes occurs during heavy rains. By a 5-4 vote, the court’s conservative majority ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency overstepped its authority under the Clean Water Act with water pollution permits that contain vague requirements for maintaining water quality. The decision is the latest in which conservative justices have reined in pollution control efforts.

Related articles:

• San Francisco Chronicle: Supreme Court sides with San Francisco in its fight over EPA clean water rules
• KQED (San Francisco): Supreme Court sides with San Francisco against EPA in sewage lawsuit
• The Mercury News (San Jose, Calif.): Supreme Court sides with San Francisco in raw sewage case, limits EPA ability to enforce Clean Water Act
• Los Angeles Times: Supreme Court rules for San Francisco, limits EPA’s power on stormwater discharges
• The New York Times: Supreme Court deals blow to E.P.A. in dispute over federal water rules
• The Well: Justices hold EPA exceeded its authority with SF water permit
• The Conversation: Blog: Supreme Court sides with San Francisco, requiring EPA to set specific targets in water pollution permits
• Inside Climate News: Supreme Court puts another limit on the EPA’s ability to protect water
• Nossaman LLP: Blog: City and County of San Francisco vs. EPA: Implications for Clean Water Act permittees