The conservative Supreme Court aligned with liberal San Francisco on Tuesday, ruling that federal environmental regulators overstepped their authority by attempting to impose vague limits on how much raw sewage the California city may pump into the Pacific Ocean.

The justices found that the EPA cannot impose generic prohibitions against violating water quality standards. The ruling could affect businesses and other cities that sit on bodies of water, including Boston.

"EPA is required to issue the limitations necessary to ensure that the water quality standards are met," Barrett wrote. "So taking a tool away from EPA may make it harder for the