Billions of dollars are potentially at stake in challenges that could be spawned by the ‘unwarranted shock’ to the law.

The Supreme Court has upended a 40-year-old decision that made it easier for the United States federal government to regulate the environment, public health, workplace safety and consumer protections, delivering a far-reaching and potentially lucrative victory to business interests.

On Friday, the court’s six conservative justices overturned the 1984 decision colloquially known as Chevron, long a target of conservatives. The liberal justices were in dissent.

Gun, e-cigarette, farm, timber and home-building groups were among the business groups supporting the fishermen. Conservative interests that also intervened in recent high court cases limiting regulation of air and water pollution backed the fishermen, as well.