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No. 23-975October Term 2024Decided May 29, 2025

Docket 23-975October Term 2024 (2024–2025)

Seven County Infrastructure Coalition, et al., Petitioners v. Eagle County, Colorado, et al.

This case addressed whether the National Environmental Policy Act requires federal agencies to evaluate environmental impacts, such as upstream oil drilling or downstream refining, that fall outside their regulatory authority when approving a project.

Case status

Current stage
Decided
Latest event
Decision released May 29, 2025
Case Accepted
Arguments HeardDec 10, 2024
Decision ReleasedMay 29, 2025
What it's about

This case addressed whether the National Environmental Policy Act requires federal agencies to evaluate environmental impacts, such as upstream oil drilling or downstream refining, that fall outside their regulatory authority when approving a project. The Supreme Court held that agencies are not required to study such remote environmental effects if they lack the power to regulate the underlying activities causing them.

Question presented

Does the National Environmental Policy Act require an agency to study environmental impacts beyond the proximate effects of the action over which the agency has regulatory authority?

Case path

United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit / Decision released May 29, 2025

Area

Administrative Law