STATE v. E.P.A.

No. 16-1406.

938 F.3d 303 (2019)

STATE of Wisconsin, et al., Petitioners, v. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY and Andrew Wheeler, Administrator, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Respondents, American Lung Association, et al., Intervenors.

United States Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit.

Decided September 13, 2019.


Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

Neil Gormley argued the cause for petitioners Conservation Groups. Valerie S. Edge , Deputy Attorney General, Office of the Attorney General for the State of Delaware, argued the cause for petitioner State of Delaware. With them on the briefs were David Baron , New York, NY, Charles McPhedran , Philadelphia, PA, Joshua R. Stebbins , and Zachary M. Fabish , Washington, DC. Seth L. Johnson entered an appearance.

Misha Tseytlin , Solicitor General, Office of the Attorney General for the State of Wisconsin, and Harvey M. Sheldon , Chicago, IL, argued the causes for State Petitioners, Cedar Falls Utilities, and City of Ames, Iowa. With them on the briefs were Brad D. Schimel , Attorney General, Luke N. Berg , Deputy Solicitor General, Peter Michael , Attorney General, Office of the Attorney General for the State of Wyoming, James Kaste , Deputy Attorney General, Erik Petersen , Senior Assistant Attorney General, Leslie Sue Ritts , Steve Marshall , Attorney General, Office of the Attorney General for the State of Alabama, Robert D. Tambling , Assistant Attorney General, Leslie Rutledge , Attorney General, Office of the Attorney General for the State of Arkansas, Nicholas J. Bronni , Deputy Solicitor General, Michael DeWine , Attorney General, Office of the Attorney General for the State of Ohio, Eric E. Murphy , State Solicitor, Ken Paxton , Attorney General, Office of the Attorney General for the State of Texas, Priscilla M. Hubenak , and Craig J. Pritzlaff and Linda B. Secord , Assistant Attorneys General. Andrew L. Brasher , Deputy Solicitor, Office of the Attorney General for the State of Alabama, Michael J. McGrady , Senior Assistant Attorney General, Office of the Attorney General for the State of Wyoming, Lee P. Rudofsky , Solicitor, Office of the Attorney General for the State of Arkansas, and Ryan Walsh entered appearances.

Norman W. Fichthorn , Washington, DC, Aaron M. Streett , and C. Grady Moore, III , argued the causes for Industry Petitioners. With them on the briefs were E. Carter Chandler Clements , Peter S. Glaser , Washington, DC, Margaret Claiborne Campbell , M. Buck Dixon , Atlanta, GA, Scott C. Oostdyk , E. Duncan Getchell, Jr. , Michael H. Brady , Richmond, VA, Jane E. Montgomery , J. Michael Showalter , Amy Antoniolli , Chicago, IL, P. Stephen Gidiere, III , Julia B. Barber , Birmingham, AL, David W. Mitchell , San Jose, CA, Daniel J. Kelly , San Francisco, CA, David M. Flannery , Kathy G. Beckett , Edward L. Kropp , Charleston, WV, Megan H. Berge , Washington, DC, Charles T. Wehland , Chicago, IL, Todd E. Palmer , Milwaukee, WI, John A. Sheehan , Los Angeles, CA, Valerie L. Green , Ben H. Stone , Gulfport, MS, Terese T. Wyly , M. Brant Pettis , Gulfport, MS, Louis E. Tosi , Cheri A. Budzynski , Toledo, OH, and Michael A. Born . Alina Fortson and Jordan Hemaidan entered appearances.

Amy J. Dona and Chloe H. Kolman , Attorneys, U.S. Department of Justice, argued the causes for respondents. With them on the brief were Jonathan Brightbill , Deputy Assistant Attorney General, and Stephanie L. Hogan , Attorney, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

E. Carter Chandler Clements , Washington, DC, argued the cause for Industry Respondent-Intervenors. With her on the brief were Norman W. Fichthorn , Peter S. Glaser , Washington, DC, Margaret Claiborne Campbell , M. Buck Dixon , Atlanta, GA, Scott C. Oostdyk , E. Duncan Getchell, Jr. , Michael H. Brady , Richmond, VA, Robert A. Manning , and Joseph A. Brown , Tallahassee, FL.

Andrew G. Frank , Assistant Attorney General, argued the cause for State Intervenors. With him on the brief were Eric T. Schneiderman , Attorney General at the time the brief was filed, Office of the Attorney General for the State of New York, Barbara D. Underwood , Solicitor General, Steven C. Wu , Deputy Solicitor General, Michael J. Myers , Senior Counsel, Maura Healey , Attorney General, Office of the Attorney General for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Jillian M. Riley , Assistant Attorney General, Environmental Protection Division, Peter F. Kilmartin , Attorney General, Rhode Island Department of Attorney General, Gregory S. Schultz , Special Assistant Attorney General, Brian E. Frosh , Attorney General, Office of the Attorney General for the State of Maryland, Michael F. Strande , Assistant Attorney General, Gordon J. MacDonald , Attorney General, K. Allen Brooks , Assistant Attorney General, New Hampshire Office of the Attorney General, Thomas J. Donovan, Jr. , Attorney General, Office of the Attorney General for the State of Vermont, and Nicholas F. Persampieri , Assistant Attorney General. Morgan A. Costello , Assistant Attorney General, Office of the Attorney General for the State of New York, entered an appearance.

Charles McPhedran , Philadelphia, PA, argued the cause for Public Health and Environmental Intervenors. With him on the brief were Sean H. Donahue , Susannah L. Weaver , Graham G. McCahan , Vickie L. Patton , Washington, DC, Ann Brewster Weeks , Neil Gormley , David Baron , Howard Fox , Joshua R. Stebbins , and Zachary M. Fabish , Washington, DC.

Hope M. Babcock was on the brief for amicus curiae American Thoracic Society in support of respondent-intervenors American Lung Association, Appalachian Mountain Club, Environmental Defense Fund, and Sierra Club.

Before: Srinivasan, Millett and Wilkins, Circuit Judges.


When upwind States pollute, downwind States can suffer the consequences. Congress addressed that problem in the Clean Air Act by enacting a "Good Neighbor Provision." The Provision requires upwind States to eliminate their significant contributions to air quality problems in downwind States.

In 2016, the Environmental Protection Agency...

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