The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments regarding the Uinta Basin Railway, a project that would transport billions of gallons of oil. The justices indicated a willingness to limit the scope of environmental reviews required for major infrastructure projects, which could significantly affect environmental law nationwide. Several justices noted that a federal agency had complied with federal law by producing a comprehensive 3,600-page report assessing the project's environmental impact. While the court appeared inclined to support the railway plan, the specifics of how it would curtail environmental regulations remain uncertain. The case has implications for future energy projects and the balance between infrastructure development and environmental protection.
"Congress continues to debate ways to ease permitting snarls. But that needn’t stop Justices from emphatically telling lower courts they can’t go off the rails and write into NEPA their own requirements—full stop." https://t.co/wzHE4xYjKk https://t.co/BOmOyUjSW3
Utah counties looking to narrow courts' ability to review federal agencies' environmental analyses of proposed projects hit roadblocks from skeptical U.S. Supreme Court justices and the U.S. Department of Justice, who said the proposed limits go too far. https://t.co/Ghe82XKHGU
Supreme Court looks poised to curb environmental studies hindering energy projects https://t.co/DBhrvH3MMq