City of Chicago v. Environmental Defense Fund
511 U.S. 328 · Decided May 2, 1994 · Supreme Court of the United States
Record summary. This page is generated from the Supreme Court Database’s coded data about the case. It describes who decided what, not the Court’s reasoning. Read the opinion itself before relying on it. Not legal advice.
At a glance
City of Chicago v. Environmental Defense Fund was decided on May 2, 1994 by a vote of 7–2. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice Antonin Scalia wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Natural resources and environmental protection” in the Economic Activity area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 511 U.S. 328 · 114 S. Ct. 1588 · 128 L. Ed. 2d 302 · 1994 U.S. LEXIS 3301
- Docket number
- 92-1639
- Decided
- May 2, 1994
- Argued
- January 19, 1994
- Court era
- Rehnquist Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Affirmed
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party did not receive a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 7–2
- Majority opinion
- Antonin Scalia
- Opinion assigned by
- William H. Rehnquist
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Natural resources and environmental protection
- Issue area
- Economic Activity
- Legal provision
- 42 U.S.C. § 6921
- Type of law
- Infrequently litigated statute
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Majority | |
| Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority | |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Sandra Day O'Connor | Dissent | |
| Justice Antonin Scalia | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Anthony M. Kennedy | Majority | |
| Justice David H. Souter | Majority | |
| Justice Clarence Thomas | Majority | |
| Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg | Majority |
Full case caption
City of Chicago, et al. v. Environmental Defense Fund et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1993-043, docket 1993-043-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Natural resources and environmental protection”
- Pud No. 1 of Jefferson County and City of Tacoma v. Washington Department of Ecology
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- Bruce Babbitt v. Sweet Home Chapter of Communities for a Great Oregon
- Mary Gade v. National Solid Wastes Management Association
- F. Dale Robertson v. Seattle Audubon Society
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Source: Supreme Court Database, 2026 Release 01 (data file dated September 8, 2026). Imported into CaseTrail November 5, 2026. Coverage: decisions from the 1946 through 2025 Terms. Methodology · Report an error