Word: scalias
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...good news is that Justice Scalia was in the minority and that his views did not prevail that time. But that could change if the next President were to add more like-minded Justices to the Supreme Court...
...Scalia philosophy would slam the courthouse door shut on citizens bold enough to seek to enforce environmental laws that safeguard our air and water, defend our wildlife heritage and protect communities from toxic pollution. When Congress passed the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act and Endangered Species Act, these laws gave people the power to file lawsuits to prevent environmental crimes and protect their families' health without having to wait on the slow grind of government's gears. But Justice Scalia would strip citizens of the power to protect their families from pollution...
...example, in a case decided earlier this year, Justice Scalia expressed horror that a person who lives near a polluting plant would be able to hold the company accountable for violating the law. Justice Scalia argued that the Court was making it too easy for people to fight environmental threats in their own neighborhoods. Never mind that the factory in question had poisoned a river by dumping toxic mercury into the water 489 separate times...
...only citizen enforcement suits authorized by Congress that draw Justice Scalia's anger. He also opposes efforts to enact uniform national laws to address nationwide problems. Air and water pollution respect no borders. People in downstream states have no ability to protect themselves from upstream pollution without strong federal protective laws. But, for the first time in generations, federal courts and the Supreme Court in particular are on the brink of turning the clock back to a time when the citizenry--including industries--was at the mercy of a crazy quilt of inconsistent and often grossly inadequate state laws...
Additionally, this year the Supreme Court faces the question whether a long-dead legal doctrine will prevent Congress from protecting the nation from air pollution. And it is widely anticipated that Justice Scalia will side with the 19th century, preventing the Environmental Protection Agency from applying scientific data to tackle our complex air pollution problems. Last year, a lower federal court struck down new, greatly improved soot and smog standards. Will the Supreme Court allow us to keep our air clean? While the question hangs in the air, pollution burns the lungs of people suffering from asthma...