The Supreme Court narrowed the scope of environmental reviews for major infrastructure projects, speeding up approvals for highways, airports, and pipelines.
The unanimous ruling, authored by Justice Brett Kavanaugh, emphasized that the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) is a procedural check, not a substantive roadblock.
The case involved an 88-mile railway transporting crude oil from Utah. Kavanaugh stressed courts should defer to agencies’ reasonable decisions without micromanaging.
Justice Neil Gorsuch recused himself due to a potential conflict of interest.
The three liberal justices agreed but argued agencies should limit reviews to their specific expertise, noting the Surface Transportation Board focused on transportation, not oil refining impacts.
