United States Sugar Corp. v. Environmental Protection Agency
In a per curiam opinion, the D.C. Circuit granted industry groups' petitions and denied environmental groups' petition to review EPA's application of a 2022 rule that classified industrial boilers built after 2010 as "new" rather than "existing" sources of hazardous air pollutants. The industry grou...
Supreme Court Overrules Chevron
On June 28, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court overruled Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council, concluding that courts have a constitutional and statutory obligation to exercise their “independent judgment” when deciding whether a federal administrative agency has acted within its statutory authority. As Justice Neil Gorsuch noted in concurrence, the Court’s decision “places a tombstone on Chevron no one can miss.” This Comment discusses the Court’s decision and its implications for legal challenges to federal agency actions.
Interstate Natural Gas Ass'n of America v. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
The D.C. Circuit granted in part and denied in part a trade group's petition to review the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration's (PHMSA's) 2022 revised safety standards for natural gas transportation. The group challenged five of the standards, alleging flaws in the rulemaking pro...
Sinclair Wyoming Refining Co. LLC v. Environmental Protection Agency
In a per curiam opinion, the D.C. Circuit dismissed in part and denied in part challenges to EPA's 2022 denial of pending Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) exemption petitions filed by small refineries. EPA had determined the only costs relevant to showing economic hardship were those caused by complian...
Huntsman Petrochemical LLC v. Environmental Protection Agency
The D.C. Circuit denied a chemical manufacturer's and two trade groups' petitions to review EPA's 2020 rule regulating emissions from miscellaneous organic chemical manufacturing facilities. The petitioners challenged EPA's assessment of cancer risk from exposure to ethylene oxide emissions. The cou...