NPR Online News

Supreme Court limits environmental reviews of infrastructure projects

Forbes

Supreme Court Boosts Oil Billionaires By Restricting Environmental Reviews

Supreme Court endorses narrow environmental reviews in challenge to Utah railroad project

Associated Press

Supreme Court backs Utah oil railroad expansion and scales back a key environmental law

FOX News

Supreme Court limits judges' authority to block infrastructure projects over environmental concerns

Axios

Supreme Court Narrows Nepa Scop

Breitbart

Metaculus

Bill Gates

António Guterres

Michael Mann

Greta Thunberg

Simon Stiell

Jim Skea

World Meteorological Organization

Myles Allen

Sheldon Whitehouse

"At this point it is virtually certain we will blow through [the 1.5C] target."

'"On our current path... we will reach that 1.5-degree limit sometime in the 2030s."

"Without immediate and deep emissions reductions across all sectors, it will be impossible [to limit global warming to 1.5C]"

"We are still nowhere near the scale and pace of emission reductions required to put us on track toward a 1.5C world."

We won't have "extreme cases like of 4 degrees [Celsius] warming," but will "miss the 2-degree goal."

"[C]utting our emissions in half in 10 years only gives us a 50% chance of staying below 1.5 degrees."

Keeping global warming to 1.5C is "entirely doable" and "simply a matter of political willpower."

Will Global Warming Be Limited to 1.5°C or "Well Below" 2°C?

<h2></h2>

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday delivered an 8-0 ruling that narrows the scope of environmental reviews required under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), specifically regarding an 88-mile railway project in Utah's Uinta Basin.

Supremecourt

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday delivered an 8-0 ruling that narrows the scope of environmental reviews required under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), specifically regarding an 88-mile railway project in Utah's Uinta Basin.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh, writing for the majority, emphasized that NEPA is meant to be "a procedural cross-check, not a substantive roadblock," stating that agencies need only consider the direct environmental effects of projects, not broader upstream or downstream impacts.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh, writing for the majority, emphasized that NEPA is meant to be "a procedural cross-check, not a substantive roadblock," stating that agencies need only consider the direct environmental effects of projects, not broader upstream or downstream impacts.

The ruling overturned a lower court decision that had required the Surface Transportation Board to consider broader environmental impacts, including the effects of increased oil production and refining, for the Utah railway project.

Inside Climate News

The ruling overturned a lower court decision that had required the Surface Transportation Board to consider broader environmental impacts, including the effects of increased oil production and refining, for the Utah railway project.

The Surface Transportation Board had previously conducted a 3,600-page environmental review and approved the railway project, concluding that its transportation and economic benefits outweighed negative environmental impacts.

The Surface Transportation Board had previously conducted a 3,600-page environmental review and approved the railway project, concluding that its transportation and economic benefits outweighed negative environmental impacts.

Justice Neil Gorsuch recused himself from the case due to his previous connections to billionaire Philip Anschutz, whose oil company could benefit from the railway project.

Justice Neil Gorsuch recused himself from the case due to his previous connections to billionaire Philip Anschutz, whose oil company could benefit from the railway project.

NPR Online News #1

Forbes #1

NBC #1

Associated Press #1

FOX News #1

Axios #0

Breitbart #0

Metaculus #0

Justice Brett Kavanaugh, writing for the majority, emphasized that NEPA is meant to be 'a procedural cross-check, not a substantive roadblock,' stating that agencies need only consider direct environmental effects of projects, not broader upstream or downstream impacts.</span

NPR Online News #4481

Justice Brett Kavanaugh, writing for the majority, emphasized that NEPA is meant to be 'a procedural cross-check, not a substantive roadblock,' stating that agencies need only consider direct environmental effects of projects, not broader upstream or downstream impacts.

The ruling overturns a lower court decision that had required the Surface Transportation Board to consider broader environmental impacts, including increased oil production and refining effects, for the Utah railway project.</span

NBC #3177

The ruling overturns a lower court decision that had required the Surface Transportation Board to consider broader environmental impacts, including increased oil production and refining effects, for the Utah railway project.

The Surface Transportation Board had previously conducted a 3,600-page environmental review and approved the railway project, concluding that its transportation and economic benefits outweighed negative environmental impacts.</span

Justice Neil Gorsuch recused himself from the case due to his previous connections to billionaire Philip Anschutz, whose oil company could benefit from the railway project.</span

The ruling represents a necessary correction to decades of regulatory overreach that has needlessly delayed and increased costs for critical infrastructure projects. By limiting environmental reviews to direct impacts, the decision will streamline the approval process for essential developments including renewable energy projects, transmission lines, and transportation infrastructure, ultimately benefiting economic growth and job creation.

The ruling represents a necessary correction to decades of regulatory overreach that has needlessly delayed and increased costs for critical infrastructure projects. By limiting environmental reviews to direct impacts, the decision will streamline the approval process for essential developments including renewable energy projects, transmission lines, and transportation infrastructure, ultimately benefiting economic growth and job creation.

Politico

Politico #

Supreme Court Limits Agency Environmental Reviews 0037412

Washington Post

Washington Post #

Supreme Court narrows scope of environmental reviews

This decision severely undermines America's bedrock environmental law and gives agencies a green light to ignore foreseeable consequences of their decisions. The ruling will lead to more pollution, intensified climate and extinction crises, and degraded public health by allowing agencies to avoid considering the full scope of environmental impacts from major infrastructure projects.

This decision severely undermines America's bedrock environmental law and gives agencies a green light to ignore foreseeable consequences of their decisions. The ruling will lead to more pollution, intensified climate and extinction crises, and degraded public health by allowing agencies to avoid considering the full scope of environmental impacts from major infrastructure projects.

Associated Press #3685

This decision severely undermines America's bedrock environmental law and gives federal agencies a green light to ignore foreseeable environmental consequences of their actions. The ruling will lead to increased pollution, accelerated climate change, and disproportionate impacts on vulnerable communities, while making it harder for the public to challenge harmful projects through proper environmental review.

This decision severely undermines America's bedrock environmental law and gives federal agencies a green light to ignore foreseeable environmental consequences of their actions. The ruling will lead to increased pollution, accelerated climate change, and disproportionate impacts on vulnerable communities, while making it harder for the public to challenge harmful projects through proper environmental review.

Supreme Court Limits Environmental Reviews for Infrastructure

Environment

United States of America

The ruling is a necessary correction to overreaching environmental regulations that have unnecessarily delayed and increased costs for critical infrastructure projects. The decision will promote more efficient and effective NEPA reviews, allowing vital economic development while still maintaining reasonable environmental safeguards. The 3,600-page environmental review for an 88-mile railway demonstrates how excessive these requirements had become.

The ruling is a necessary correction to overreaching environmental regulations that have unnecessarily delayed and increased costs for critical infrastructure projects. The decision will promote more efficient and effective NEPA reviews, allowing vital economic development while still maintaining reasonable environmental safeguards. The 3,600-page environmental review for an 88-mile railway demonstrates how excessive these requirements had become.

Bracewell LLP

Supreme Court Hits the Reset Button on the National Environmental Policy Act

This decision severely undermines America's bedrock environmental law and gives agencies the green light to ignore the foreseeable consequences of their decisions. The ruling will lead to increased pollution, intensified climate crises, and degraded public health by allowing agencies to avoid considering the full scope of environmental impacts from major infrastructure projects.

This decision severely undermines America's bedrock environmental law and gives agencies the green light to ignore the foreseeable consequences of their decisions. The ruling will lead to increased pollution, intensified climate crises, and degraded public health by allowing agencies to avoid considering the full scope of environmental impacts from major infrastructure projects.

New York Times

Supreme Court Curbs Scope of Environmental Reviews

There's a 49.4% chance that the U.S. will pass a law setting deadlines on NEPA review before Jan. 1, 2027, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

There's a 49.4% chance that the U.S. will pass a law setting deadlines on NEPA review before Jan. 1, 2027, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

SCOTUS Limits Environmental Reviews for Infrastructure

SupremeSCOTUS Court Limits Environmental Reviews for Infrastructure

The Spin

Metaculus Prediction

The Controversies

Whitehouse

Guterres

Skea

Stiell

Gates

Thunberg

Mann

Articles on this story

Sign Up for Our Free Newsletters
Sign Up for Our Free Newsletters