An environmental lawyer who wrote an amicus brief in San Francisco v. EPA believes a criticized ruling actually means tougher standards.

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.

The 5-to-4 decision is the latest setback for the agency and could have sweeping implications for curtailing water pollution offshore.