Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County
Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County, Colorado (Docket 23-975) is a pending United States Supreme Court case about the scope of environmental review required for government agencies by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
| Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County, Colorado | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Full case name | Seven County Infrastructure Coalition, et al., Petitioners v. Eagle County, Colorado, et al. |
| Docket no. | 23-975 |
| Questions presented | |
| Whether NEPA requires agencies to study the indirect environmental impact of the actions they regulate. | |
| Laws applied | |
| National Environmental Policy Act | |
Background
editProposed as a way to transport oil to ports and refineries, the Uinta Basin Rail project was approved to begin construction by the Surface Transportation Board in 2021. This approval was challenged in court, and was tossed out in August 2023 by the District of Columbia Circuit which found that the environmental review done overlooked impacts on wildlife, possible environmental damage from oil spills and other types of accidents, and the local impact of increased crude oil refining.
The Seven County Infrastructure Coalition appealed the DC Circuit's ruling to the Supreme Court, arguing that the things the Surface Transportation Board failed to include in their environmental review are not within the agency's regulatory authority. United States Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar recommended that the court deny certiorari, but it was granted in June 2024.[1]
References
edit- ^ Farah, Niina H.; King, Pamela (June 25, 2024). "Energy sector braces for Supreme Court NEPA case". E&E News. Retrieved July 2, 2024.