Well, howdy there, Internet people, it's Bell again.

So today, we're going to talk about SCOTUS, California, cars, and cases.

The Supreme Court of the United States has decided to take up a case

that is going to have much wider implications than it sounds like at first.

So, back when the United States was

actually trying to make some headway when it comes to environmental protection, the Clean Air

Act was passed and amended repeatedly. When the Clean Air Act started regulating car emissions,

there was a unique little passage in it.

It prohibited states from setting their own emission standards, but there was an exemption process

for any state that had their own regulations in place prior to March of 1966.

California. It exempted California. It was the only state to meet the requirements.

To use the exemption to get a waiver for new regulations, the state needs to show compelling and extraordinary conditions.

Lately, the EPA has found that climate change hands the state the compelling and extraordinary conditions

it needs for a waiver. The state has obtained more than 70 waivers over the years. Now, the Supreme

Court has taken up a case that might eventually lead to a real challenge of the process.

The case stems from a 2013 waiver. A number of states

and fuel companies are trying to get the courts to undermine California's more stringent standards.

The Supreme Court has agreed to review whether or not fuel companies can point to the California

regulations impacts on automakers to give

them standing for a suit.

The court already declined to review the waiver itself.

So this case itself won't have immediate effects on the state's clean air regulation,

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