Conservatives on SCOTUS rewrite Clean Water Act

K1052

Elite Member
Aug 21, 2003
45,898
32,700
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Supreme Court weakens EPA power to enforce Clean Water Act​


https://www.washingtonpost.com/poli...ocial&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=wp_main

The Supreme Court on Thursday cut back the power of the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate the nation’s wetlands and waterways, another setback for the agency’s authority to combat pollution.
At issue was the reach of the landmark, 51-year-old Clean Water Act and how courts should determine what count as “waters of the United States” under protection of the law. Nearly two decades ago, the court ruled that wetlands are protected by the Clean Water Act if they have a “significant nexus” to regulated waters. Property rights and business groups wanted to narrow regulations to wetlands and other areas directly connected to “navigable waters” such as rivers and lakes.


But Justice Samuel A. Alito, writing for the majority in the 5 to 4 opinion, said the EPA’s interpretation of its powers went too far

“We hold that the CWA extends to only those wetlands with a continuous surface connection to bodies that are ‘waters of the United States’ in their own right, so that they are ‘indistinguishable’ from those waters,” Alito wrote, quoting from past court opinions.

Utterly preposterous and totally ignores black letter law but what else can you expect from Alito and these other assholes.

When even Kavanaugh is like "WTF?" the line is pretty far behind you. It is hard to overstate the extent to which SCOTUS has essentially taken over the role of Congress and is effectively ruling the country.

Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh wrote separately to object to the majority’s reading of the law. He wrote that the majority’s new test “departs from the statutory text, from 45 years of consistent agency practice, and from this Court’s precedents” and will have “significant repercussions for water quality and flood control throughout the United States.” Kagan, Sotomayor and Jackson joined Kavanaugh.
 

brycejones

Lifer
Oct 18, 2005
25,992
23,792
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Ah yes, the important right to poison the water. I am truly glad for the calvin ball scotus defending freedom and prevent the evil government from stopping water pollution. Because as well know when you pollute the water in a given location as long as you can't see the water on the ground the pollution goes nowhere.

Also fuck the fucking fucks who brought this bullshit forward in the first place.
 

fskimospy

Elite Member
Mar 10, 2006
83,719
47,408
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Supreme Court weakens EPA power to enforce Clean Water Act​


https://www.washingtonpost.com/poli...ocial&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=wp_main



Utterly preposterous and totally ignores black letter law but what else can you expect from Alito and these other assholes.

When even Kavanaugh is like "WTF?" the line is pretty far behind you. It is hard to overstate the extent to which SCOTUS has essentially taken over the role of Congress and is effectively ruling the country.
More legal Calvinball. What’s most interesting is Alito’s opinion seems to state that he thinks some elements of the Clean Water Act are bad and therefore he has to limit it. It’s very clear that at this point he views the Supreme Court as some sort of super Congress that can and should rewrite laws he personally disagrees with.
 

brycejones

Lifer
Oct 18, 2005
25,992
23,792
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More legal Calvinball. What’s most interesting is Alito’s opinion seems to state that he thinks some elements of the Clean Water Act are bad and therefore he has to limit it. It’s very clear that at this point he views the Supreme Court as some sort of super Congress that can and should rewrite laws he personally disagrees with.
More justification for expanding the court.
 

K1052

Elite Member
Aug 21, 2003
45,898
32,700
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More legal Calvinball. What’s most interesting is Alito’s opinion seems to state that he thinks some elements of the Clean Water Act are bad and therefore he has to limit it. It’s very clear that at this point he views the Supreme Court as some sort of super Congress that can and should rewrite laws he personally disagrees with.

Yes, Alito seems to think we elected him king or something.
 

K1052

Elite Member
Aug 21, 2003
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I think he’s realized he can rewrite whatever laws he wants and no one will stop him.

Funny how guys who used to claim they were all about the plain text of the statute abandon that as soon as the plain text tells them something they don’t want to hear.

I mean that in an even broader sense since besides how he wields power he thinks he should be respected and exist in a realm above criticism.
 
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Vic

Elite Member
Jun 12, 2001
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More legal Calvinball. What’s most interesting is Alito’s opinion seems to state that he thinks some elements of the Clean Water Act are bad and therefore he has to limit it. It’s very clear that at this point he views the Supreme Court as some sort of super Congress that can and should rewrite laws he personally disagrees with.
Remember when conservatives used to complain about legislating from the bench? Apparently they didn't really mean that either.
 

MrSquished

Lifer
Jan 14, 2013
21,004
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Alito and Thomas are just utter ghouls and should go play in traffic. Gorsuch is there too. Roberts is a piece of shit, maybe not a ghoul, but he is working on it.
 
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dainthomas

Lifer
Dec 7, 2004
14,572
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I think he’s realized he can rewrite whatever laws he wants and no one will stop him.

Funny how guys who used to claim they were all about the plain text of the statute abandon that as soon as the plain text tells them something they don’t want to hear.

This is probably why Biden doesn't just invoke the 14th amendment. It pretty obviously means what it says, but that doesn't matter with these guys.
 
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UNCjigga

Lifer
Dec 12, 2000
24,802
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Gorsuch was likely the swing vote. Given his past opinions I’m not surprised he sided with industry, but I wonder what fringe benefits he’ll earn for this ruling.
 

Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
37,404
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More justification for expanding the court.
Yes. 2-3 days ago I saw video on TV news of Barbara Lee advocating for just that and I may have to vote for her to take Feinstein's Senate seat. It's a shame because she's my representative, but she may have far more important things to do. I'm confident my district will elect a qualified replacement for Lee. Republicans don't stand the ghost of a chance here. Thinking out loud, Schiff and Porter do stand in her way.
 
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sportage

Lifer
Feb 1, 2008
11,493
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When diagnosed with pancreatic cancer you live about three months.
And it's a terrible three months.
Just a reminder, Clarence....
 

senseamp

Lifer
Feb 5, 2006
35,786
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This is why East Palestine was so ironic. These people vote for every politician who'll reduce environmental regulations, then when inevitable disaster happens somewhere, blame the side that tried to prevent them. Let them sit in the toxic pool their votes created for all I care.
 
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