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Ruckelshaus v. Sierra Club

463 U.S. 680 (1983)

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Ruckelshaus v. Sierra Club

United States Supreme Court
463 U.S. 680 (1983)

SH

Facts

Following announcements by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of standards regarding the maximum permissible emissions of sulfur dioxide from coal-burning power plants, the Sierra Club and the Environment Defense Fund (EDF) (plaintiffs) challenged the standards by filing petitions in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. After the court of appeals rejected all claims, the Sierra Club and the EDF filed requests for attorney’s fees. The Sierra Club and the EDF based their requests on the language of the Clean Air Act, which allowed a court to award attorney’s fees if the court “determines the award is appropriate.” The Sierra Club and EDF took the position that this language allowed for an award of attorney’s fees regardless of their success in the case because they were furthering the goals of the Clean Air Act by bringing their action to challenge the EPA’s standards. The United States Supreme Court granted certiorari.

Rule of Law

Issue

Holding and Reasoning (Rehnquist, J.)

Dissent (Stevens, J.)

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Casebooks

Environmental Law

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