The court affirms a district court denial of Nevada's petition under Fed. R. Civ. P. 27 to depose more than two dozen scientists regarding studies they undertook in response to a scientific hypothesis that questioned the geological and hydrological suitability of Yucca Mountain as a site for high-le...
The court holds that the operators of the Three Mile Island nuclear reactor violated their duty of care to the public by releasing, during a 1979 accident at the facility, radiation in levels exceeding federal standards for radioactivity allowed in liquid or airborne effluents released off premises....
The court holds that punitive damages are available under Pennsylvania law and the Price-Anderson Amendments Act of 1988 (PAA)) to plaintiffs in a suit against the operators of the Three Mile Island nuclear reactor for personal injuries allegedly resulting from exposure to radiation released during ...
The court holds that the installer of an underground heating oil storage tank may be held liable as an "operator" under the Pennsylvania Storage Tank and Spill Prevention Act (STSPA) for the ongoing nuisance created by an alleged release from the tank. The court first holds that this case does not i...
A magistrate judge holds that the U.S. Department of the Air Force abused its discretion when it failed to include the impact of a new state-managed air-to-ground training range in an environmental impact statement (EIS) prepared under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to evaluate the env...
The court holds that a county ordinance that imposed a moratorium on landfills did not exact a taking from a landowner or violate the landowner's substantive and procedural due process rights. The court invalidated the ordinance in a prior ruling. The court first holds that it reviews the district c...
The court holds that a Minnesota statute that controls the flow of solid waste in the state violates the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution. The statute establishes a hierarchy of waste management techniques and requires all Minnesota counties to choose a preferred waste management technique f...
The court holds that provisions of Indiana's Environmental Compliance Plans Act (ECPA) that favor a utility's use of Indiana coal violate the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution. The ECPA allows a utility to seek an early review by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) of the utility...
The court holds that provisions of Indiana's Environmental Compliance Plans Act (ECPA) that favor a utility's use of Indiana coal violate the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution. The ECPA allows a utility to seek an early review by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) of the utility...
The court holds that a contribution claim under the 1989 Washington state Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA) against a railroad reorganized in bankruptcy is not subject to a 1985 claims bar date. The claim arose out of an environmental cleanup of a railyard located within the Commencement Bay/Nearshore...