Washington, DC - Today, the Supreme Court of the United States overturned a D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals decision to require further analysis before permitting a railroad line in Utah that would carry billions of gallons of oil because the Surface Transportation Board failed to analyze and disclose the pollution impacts of refining all that oil in Gulf Coast communities in Louisiana. The original suit was brought by environmental and community groups, including Sierra Club.
The decision by the Supreme Court will narrow the scope of federal environmental reviews of fossil fuel infrastructure projects under the National Environmental Policy Act.
In response, Sierra Club Senior Attorney Nathaniel Shoaff issued the following statement:
“Regrettably, the Supreme Court has scored one for the oil companies who don’t want you to look too closely at the harm their product will do to Black and Brown communities in Cancer Alley. Our bedrock environmental laws, like NEPA, are meant to ensure people are protected from corporate polluters. Fossil fuel infrastructure projects do not exist in a vacuum and have far-reaching impacts on communities, especially those on the frontlines of climate change or those who face serious health harms from increased pollution. Today’s decision will undoubtedly help the fossil fuel industry, but Sierra Club will not stop fighting projects that will have devastating consequences for people and the planet.”
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About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.