Supreme Court scales back a key environmental law in a ruling that could speed development projects
May 29, 2025
The Supreme Court has backed a multibillion-dollar oil railroad expansion in Utah in a ruling that scales back a key environmental law and could speed development projects around the country. The ruling Thursday involves the Uinta Basin Railway, a proposed 88-mile expansion that would connect oil and gas producers to the broader rail network and allow them to access larger markets. In their 8-0 decision, the justices endorsed a limited interpretation of a key environmental law. Justice Neil Gorsuch didn’t participate in the case. The Supreme Court reversed a lower court decision and restored a critical approval from regulators. But the project could face additional legal and regulatory hurdles.
