The U.S. Supreme Court appeared receptive to upholding the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's right to place generic limits on ocean sewage discharge as San Francisco took its contentious battle to the high court.

San Francisco is challenging U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rules in a Supreme Court case that could reshape water pollution regulations nationwide, especially regarding sewage and stormwater discharges.

“The Clean Water Act does not contain the limitation that San Francisco is asking the court to insert – one that would prevent EPA from ensuring that polluters do not threaten public health and safety,” said Sanjay Narayan, counsel for the Sierra Club.