Natural resources and environmental protection: Supreme Court decisions

Every U.S. Supreme Court decision from the 1946 through 2025 Terms that the Supreme Court Database classifies under the issue “Natural resources and environmental protection,” part of the Economic Activity area.

Legal provisions most often involved

All 127 decisions, newest first

• Seven County Infastructure Coalition v. Eagle County
  145 S. Ct. 1497Decided May 29, 20258–0Brett M. Kavanaugh
• City and County of San Francisco v. Environmental Protection Agency
  145 S. Ct. 704Decided March 4, 20255–4Samuel A. Alito Jr.
• Loper Bright Enterprises v. RaimondoAltered precedent
  144 S. Ct. 2244Decided June 28, 20246–2John G. Roberts Jr.
• Ohio v. Environmental Protection Agency
  144 S. Ct. 2040Decided June 27, 20245–4Neil M. Gorsuch
• Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency
  598 U.S. 651Decided May 25, 20239–0Samuel A. Alito Jr.
• Guam v. United States
  141 S. Ct. 1608Decided May 24, 20219–0Clarence Thomas
• U.S. Forest Service v. Cowpasture River Preservation Association
  140 S. Ct. 1837Decided June 15, 20207–2Clarence Thomas
• County of Maui v. Hawaii Wildlife Fund
  140 S. Ct. 1462Decided April 23, 20206–3Stephen G. Breyer
• Atlantic Richfield Co. v. Christian
  140 S. Ct. 1335Decided April 20, 20207–2John G. Roberts Jr.
• Sturgeon v. Frost
  139 S. Ct. 1066Decided March 26, 20199–0Elena Kagan
• Weyerhaeuser Company v. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
  139 S. Ct. 361Decided November 27, 20188–0John G. Roberts Jr.
• United States Army Corp of Engineers v. Hawkes Co., Inc.
  578 U.S. 590Decided May 31, 20168–0John G. Roberts Jr.
• Sturgeon v. Frost
  577 U.S. 424Decided March 22, 20168–0John G. Roberts Jr.
• Michigan v. Environmental Protection Agency
  576 U.S. 743Decided June 29, 20155–4Antonin Scalia
• Util. Air Regulatory Group v. EPA
  573 U.S. 302Decided June 23, 20147–2Antonin Scalia
• EPA v. Eme Homer City Generation
  572 U.S. 489Decided April 29, 20146–2Ruth Bader Ginsburg
• Doug Decker v. Northwest Environmental Defense Center;
  568 U.S. 597Decided March 20, 20137–1Anthony M. Kennedy
• Los Angeles County Flood Control District Petitioner v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc.
  568 U.S. 78Decided January 8, 20139–0Ruth Bader Ginsburg
• Chantell Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency
  566 U.S. 120Decided March 21, 20129–0Antonin Scalia
• PPL Montana, LLC v. Montana
  565 U.S. 576Decided February 22, 20129–0Anthony M. Kennedy
• American Electric Power Company, Inc. v. Connecticut
  564 U.S. 410Decided June 20, 20118–0Ruth Bader Ginsburg
• Monsanto Company v. Geertson Seed Farms
  561 U.S. 139Decided June 21, 20107–1Samuel A. Alito Jr.
• State of Alabama v. State of North Carolina.
  560 U.S. 330Decided June 1, 20106–3Antonin Scalia
• Coeur Alaska, Inc. v. Southeast Alaska Conservation Council
  557 U.S. 261Decided June 22, 20096–3Anthony M. Kennedy
• Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Company v. United States
  556 U.S. 599Decided May 4, 20098–1John Paul Stevens
• Donald C. Winter v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc.
  555 U.S. 7Decided November 12, 20085–4John G. Roberts Jr.
• National Association of Home Builders v. Defenders of Wildlife
  551 U.S. 644Decided June 25, 20075–4Samuel A. Alito Jr.
• United States v. Atlantic Research Corporation
  551 U.S. 128Decided June 11, 20079–0Clarence Thomas
• Environmental Defense v. Duke Energy Corporation
  549 U.S. 561Decided April 2, 20079–0David H. Souter
• John A. Rapanos v. United States
  547 U.S. 715Decided June 19, 20065–4Antonin Scalia
• S. D. Warren Company v. Maine Board of Environmental Protection
  547 U.S. 370Decided May 15, 20069–0David H. Souter
• Francis A. Orff v. United States
  545 U.S. 596Decided June 23, 20059–0Clarence Thomas
• Cooper Industries, Inc. v. Aviall Services, Inc.
  543 U.S. 157Decided December 13, 20047–2Clarence Thomas
• Gale Norton v. Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance
  542 U.S. 55Decided June 14, 20049–0Antonin Scalia
• Department of Transportation v. Public Citizen
  541 U.S. 752Decided June 7, 20049–0Clarence Thomas
• Bedroc Limited, LLC v. United States
  541 U.S. 176Decided March 31, 20046–3William H. Rehnquist
• South Florida Water Management District v. Miccosukee Tribe of Indians
  541 U.S. 95Decided March 23, 20049–0Sandra Day O'Connor
• Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation v. Environmental Protection Agency
  540 U.S. 461Decided January 21, 20045–4Ruth Bader Ginsburg
• Borden Ranch Partnership and Angelo K. Tsakopoulos v. United States Army Corps of Engineers and Environmental Protection Agency
  537 U.S. 99Decided December 16, 20024–4
• Christine Todd Whitman v. American Trucking Associations, Inc.
  531 U.S. 457Decided February 27, 20019–0Antonin Scalia
• Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County v. United States Army Corps of Engineers
  531 U.S. 159Decided January 9, 20015–4William H. Rehnquist
• Public Lands Council v. Bruce Babbitt
  529 U.S. 728Decided May 15, 20009–0Stephen G. Breyer
• Amoco Production Company v. Southern Ute Indian Tribe
  526 U.S. 865Decided June 7, 19997–1Anthony M. Kennedy
• United States v. Bestfoods
  524 U.S. 51Decided June 8, 19989–0David H. Souter
• Bruce Babbitt v. Sweet Home Chapter of Communities for a Great Oregon
  515 U.S. 687Decided June 29, 19956–3John Paul Stevens
• Key Tronic Corporation v. United States
  511 U.S. 809Decided June 6, 19946–3John Paul Stevens
• Pud No. 1 of Jefferson County and City of Tacoma v. Washington Department of Ecology
  511 U.S. 700Decided May 31, 19947–2Sandra Day O'Connor
• City of Chicago v. Environmental Defense Fund
  511 U.S. 328Decided May 2, 19947–2Antonin Scalia
• Mary Gade v. National Solid Wastes Management Association
  505 U.S. 88Decided June 18, 19925–4Sandra Day O'Connor
• F. Dale Robertson v. Seattle Audubon Society
  503 U.S. 429Decided March 25, 19929–0Clarence Thomas
• Arkansas v. Oklahoma
  503 U.S. 91Decided February 26, 19929–0John Paul Stevens
• General Motors Corporation v. United States
  496 U.S. 530Decided June 14, 19909–0Harry A. Blackmun
• Olaf A. Hallstrom v. Tillamook County
  493 U.S. 20Decided November 7, 19897–2Sandra Day O'Connor
• Robertson v. Methow Valley Citizens Council
  490 U.S. 332Decided May 1, 19899–0John Paul Stevens
• Marsh v. Oregon Natural Resources Council
  490 U.S. 360Decided May 1, 19899–0John Paul Stevens
• Gwaltney of Smithfield, Ltd. v. Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Inc.
  484 U.S. 49Decided December 1, 19878–0Thurgood Marshall
• Amoco Production Co. v. Village of Gambell
  480 U.S. 531Decided March 24, 19879–0Byron R. White
• California Coastal Commission v. Granite Rock Co.
  480 U.S. 572Decided March 24, 19875–4Sandra Day O'Connor
• Japan Whaling Association v. American Cetacean Society
  478 U.S. 221Decided June 30, 19865–4Byron R. White
• United States v. Riverside Bayview Homes, Inc.
  474 U.S. 121Decided December 4, 19859–0Byron R. White
• Bateman Eichler v. Berner
  472 U.S. 299Decided June 11, 19858–0William J. Brennan Jr.
• Lowe v. Securities and Exchange Commission
  472 U.S. 181Decided June 10, 19858–0John Paul Stevens
• Schreiber v. Burlington Northern, Inc.
  472 U.S. 1Decided June 4, 19857–0Warren E. Burger
• Chemical Manufacturers Association v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc.
  470 U.S. 116Decided February 27, 19855–4Byron R. White
• Chevron U. S. A. Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc.
  467 U.S. 837Decided June 25, 19846–0John Paul Stevens
• Secretary of the Interior v. California
  464 U.S. 312Decided January 11, 19845–4Sandra Day O'Connor
• Nevada v. United States
  463 U.S. 110Decided June 24, 19839–0William H. Rehnquist
• Watt v. Western Nuclear, Inc.
  462 U.S. 36Decided June 6, 19835–4Thurgood Marshall
• Baltimore Gas & Electric Co. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc.
  462 U.S. 87Decided June 6, 19838–0Sandra Day O'Connor
• Metropolitan Edison Co. v. People Against Nuclear Energy
  460 U.S. 766Decided April 19, 19839–0William H. Rehnquist
• Weinberger v. Romero-Barcelo
  456 U.S. 305Decided April 27, 19828–1Byron R. White
• Middlesex County Sewerage Authority v. National Sea Clammers Association
  453 U.S. 1Decided June 25, 19817–2Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• Hodel v. Virginia Surface Mining & Reclamation Association, Inc.
  452 U.S. 264Decided June 15, 19819–0Thurgood Marshall
• Hodel v. Indiana
  452 U.S. 314Decided June 15, 19819–0Thurgood Marshall
• City of Milwaukee v. Illinois
  451 U.S. 304Decided April 28, 19816–3William H. Rehnquist
• Environmental Protection Agency v. National Crushed Stone Association
  449 U.S. 64Decided December 2, 19808–0Byron R. White
• Bryant v. Yellen
  447 U.S. 352Decided June 16, 19809–0Byron R. White
• Andrus v. Shell Oil Co.
  446 U.S. 657Decided June 2, 19806–3Warren E. Burger
• Harrison v. PPG Industries, Inc.
  446 U.S. 578Decided May 27, 19807–2Potter Stewart
• Andrus v. Utah
  446 U.S. 500Decided May 19, 19805–4John Paul Stevens
• Andrus v. Idaho
  445 U.S. 715Decided April 16, 19808–1Byron R. White
• Costle v. Pacific Legal Foundation
  445 U.S. 198Decided March 18, 19809–0Harry A. Blackmun
• Crown Simpson Pulp Co. v. Costle
  445 U.S. 193Decided March 17, 19809–0Per curiam
• Andrus v. Sierra Club
  442 U.S. 347Decided June 11, 19799–0William J. Brennan Jr.
• California v. United States
  438 U.S. 645Decided July 3, 19786–3William H. Rehnquist
• United States v. New Mexico
  438 U.S. 696Decided July 3, 19785–4William H. Rehnquist
• Tennessee Valley Authority v. Hill
  437 U.S. 153Decided June 15, 19786–3Warren E. Burger
• Andrus v. Charlestone Stone Products Co.
  436 U.S. 604Decided May 31, 19789–0Thurgood Marshall
• Adamo Wrecking Co. v. United States
  434 U.S. 275Decided January 10, 19785–4William H. Rehnquist
• E. I. Du Pont de Nemours & Co. v. Train
  430 U.S. 112Decided February 23, 19778–0John Paul Stevens
• City of Philadelphia v. New Jersey
  430 U.S. 141Decided February 23, 19775–4Per curiam
• Kleppe v. Sierra Club
  427 U.S. 390Decided June 28, 19767–2Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• Union Electric Co. v. Environmental Protection Agency
  427 U.S. 246Decided June 25, 19769–0Thurgood Marshall
• Flint Ridge Development Co. v. Scenic Rivers Association of Oklahoma
  426 U.S. 776Decided June 24, 19768–0Thurgood Marshall
• Kleppe v. New Mexico
  426 U.S. 529Decided June 17, 19769–0Thurgood Marshall
• Cappaert v. United States
  426 U.S. 128Decided June 7, 19769–0Warren E. Burger
• Train v. Colorado Public Interest Research Group, Inc.
  426 U.S. 1Decided June 1, 19768–0Thurgood Marshall
• Aberdeen & Rockfish Railroad Co. v. Students Challenging Regulatory Agency Procedures
  422 U.S. 289Decided June 24, 19757–1Byron R. White
• Train v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc.
  421 U.S. 60Decided April 16, 19757–1William H. Rehnquist
• Train v. City of New York
  420 U.S. 35Decided February 18, 19759–0Byron R. White
• Train v. Campaign Clean Water, Inc.
  420 U.S. 136Decided February 18, 19759–0Per curiam
• Vermont v. New York
  417 U.S. 270Decided June 3, 19749–0Per curiam
• United States v. Students Challenging Regulatory Agency Procedures
  412 U.S. 669Decided June 18, 19736–2Potter Stewart
• Fri v. Sierra Club
  412 U.S. 541Decided June 11, 19734–4
• United States v. Pennsylvania Industrial Chemical Corp.
  411 U.S. 655Decided May 14, 19736–3William J. Brennan Jr.
• Askew v. American Waterways Operators, Inc.
  411 U.S. 325Decided April 18, 19739–0William O. Douglas
• Lake Carriers' Assn. v. Macmullan
  406 U.S. 498Decided May 30, 19727–2William J. Brennan Jr.
• Illinois v. City of MilwaukeeAltered precedent
  406 U.S. 91Decided April 24, 19729–0William O. Douglas
• Washington v. General Motors Corp.
  406 U.S. 109Decided April 24, 19728–0William O. Douglas
• Sierra Club v. Morton
  405 U.S. 727Decided April 19, 19724–3Potter Stewart
• United States v. District Court in and for the County of Eagle
  401 U.S. 520Decided March 24, 19719–0William O. Douglas
• United States v. District Court in and for Water Division No. 5
  401 U.S. 527Decided March 24, 19719–0William O. Douglas
• Ohio v. Wyandotte Chemicals Corp.
  401 U.S. 493Decided March 23, 19718–1John M. Harlan II
• Citizens to Preserve Overton Park, Inc. v. Volpe
  401 U.S. 402Decided March 2, 19716–2Thurgood Marshall
• Hickel v. Oil Shale Corp.
  400 U.S. 48Decided December 8, 19704–2William O. Douglas
• United States v. Coleman
  390 U.S. 599Decided April 22, 19688–0Hugo L. Black
• United States v. Standard Oil Co.
  384 U.S. 224Decided May 23, 19666–3William O. Douglas
• Arizona v. California
  373 U.S. 546Decided June 3, 19635–3Hugo L. Black
• Boesche v. Udall
  373 U.S. 472Decided May 27, 19639–0John M. Harlan II
• Dugan v. Rank
  372 U.S. 609Decided April 15, 19638–0Tom C. Clark
• City of Fresno v. California
  372 U.S. 627Decided April 15, 19638–0Tom C. Clark
• Organized Village of Kake v. Egan
  369 U.S. 60Decided March 5, 19628–1Felix Frankfurter
• United States v. Republic Steel Corp.
  362 U.S. 482Decided May 16, 19605–4William O. Douglas
• United States v. Union Pacific Railroad Co.
  353 U.S. 112Decided April 8, 19575–3William O. Douglas
• United States v. Howard
  352 U.S. 212Decided January 14, 19579–0Stanley F. Reed
• Federal Power Commission v. Oregon
  349 U.S. 435Decided June 6, 19557–1Harold H. Burton
• United States ex Rel. Chapman v. Federal Power Commission
  345 U.S. 153Decided March 16, 19536–3Felix Frankfurter

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