NextEra Energy Capital Holdings, Inc. v. Lake
The Fifth Circuit affirmed in part and reversed in part a district court’s dismissal of a lawsuit concerning a 2019 Texas law that allows only owners of existing transmission lines in the state to build, own, or operate new lines that connect to existing lines. A company seeking to enter the state...
Center for Biological Diversity v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
In an unpublished opinion, the Ninth Circuit granted in part environmental groups' petition to review EPA's registration of a new fungicide called inpyrfluxam. The groups argued EPA failed to make an effects determination under §7(a)(2) of the ESA and to consult with federal wildlife agencies, and ...
Natural Resources Defense Council v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
The Ninth Circuit granted in part and denied in part a petition to review EPA's determination that glyphosate did not pose "any unreasonable risk to man or the environment." Nonprofit groups challenged the Agency's determination, arguing that EPA did not adequately consider whether the weedkiller ca...
Commonwealth v. Exxon Mobil Corp.
The Massachusetts Supreme Court affirmed a lower court's denial of an oil and gas company's motion to dismiss a civil enforcement action brought by the Massachusetts attorney general (AG) based on the company's communications with investors and consumers concerning the impact of climate change. The ...
Natural Resources Defense Council v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
The Ninth Circuit vacated EPA's denial of a petition to cancel the registration of the pesticide tetrachlorvinphos (TCVP). An environmental group petitioned the Agency to cancel the registration of TCVP for use in household pet products, and EPA denied the petition. The group argued the Agency erred...
The Constitutional Right to Save the Environment
More than 50 years ago, Franklin Kury drafted and championed an Environmental Rights Amendment to the Pennsylvania Constitution. His book, The Constitutional Question to Save the Planet: The Right to a Healthy Environment (ELI Press 2021), expands upon the story of his amendment to demonstrate how its principles can be the basis for addressing climate change in the rest of the world.