The Supreme Court has vacated a ruling from the D.C. Circuit that upheld regulations from the Biden administration concerning gas furnaces and commercial water heaters. The decision was announced in an order list released on June 8, 2026, and sends the case back to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. The regulations had been challenged by opponents who argued they were overly restrictive and could ban certain gas appliances.
The D.C. Circuit had previously ruled 2-1 that the regulations were lawful, citing the Department of Energy's authority under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act. The Trump administration, which has since repealed several Biden-era appliance rules, contended that the regulations were flawed. The Supreme Court's order allows the Trump administration to present its arguments against the regulations in the lower appeals court.
A coalition of energy companies, led by the American Gas Association, petitioned the Supreme Court to reverse the D.C. Circuit's ruling, claiming it violated standards established in a previous ruling that limited federal agencies' rulemaking authority. They argued that the Biden administration's regulations would compel many Americans to either renovate their homes or switch to electric appliances.
In response, the Trump administration expressed agreement with the petition to vacate the D.C. Circuit ruling, stating that the rules were based on legal errors. Solicitor General D. John Sauer indicated that the Department of Energy is considering new rulemaking to address these issues. The coalition of energy companies did not oppose this request, and the Supreme Court's order allows the legal proceedings regarding the regulations to continue in the D.C. Circuit.
Additionally, the Supreme Court did not add any new cases to its upcoming term, which will begin in October, and is expected to release opinions on 23 pending cases by the end of the month.
