US Supreme Court appears inclined to rein in federal agencies

The conservative-leaning US Supreme Court on Wednesday appeared inclined to weaken the power of federal agencies, which regulate myriad issues affecting the everyday lives of Americans — from consumer safety to air pollution.

At the heart of the matter is a 1984 ruling in Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council, which said judges should defer to government agencies in determining a “reasonable” interpretation of the law if the language is ambiguous.