Amy Coney Barrett’s Supreme Court could shred environmental protections

Safe drinking water, clean air, healthy wildlife and natural habitat might not be front of mind as the Senate moves forward with President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, Judge Amy Coney Barrett — but they should be. That’s because the Supreme Court often has the last word on how, and sometimes even whether, federal laws are effectively applied to protect our families, communities and public lands from toxic pollution and industrial ruin. And the court could determine whether and how we cut the climate pollution that’s making disasters like storms, floods, wildfires and drought more devastating across the West and around the country.

The outcome of multiple cases the court is likely to hear could have a far-reaching effect on our day-to-day lives by determining what we can do to protect the water we drink, the air we breathe and the natural systems that sustain all life. These protections are foundational to our health and quality of life. And, because environmental hazard and harm often falls heaviest on low-income communities and people of color, these protections are essential to the urgent work of building a more just and equitable society. The Supreme Court’s role in dealing with environmental issues […]

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