US environemental agency hauled to Supreme Court over Clean Water Act
09 Jan 2012
The US Supreme Court is to hear a case today that has an Idaho's couple's dream home at the centre of a legal storm.
The larger implications of the case, called Sackett vs Environmental Protection Agency, go well beyond the couple's dream and take up in their sweep major corporations, farms, government agencies amongst others.
Business groups are closely following the case considering its potential to roll back federal regulations on major environmental issues in case of a ruling in favour of the Sacketts.
According to attorney Mark Stancil, writing in a brief filed for the American Farm Bureau Federation, ''The Clean Water Act has, in short, become a tool for regulators to micromanage even the most routine decisions of farmers and ranchers.''
Michael and Chantell Sackett hardly seem to lack support with 13 of the 14 friend-of-the-court briefs favouring them.
Meanwhile, in a statement on the case, the Natural Resources Defense Council , a non-profit environmental advocacy group, characterised the Sacketts' legal allies as "industry giants."
The Sacketts and their business allies are seeking more more leeway to challenge EPA orders, and specifically they want to be able to sue the agency even before it went to court to enforce an order.
