Brief of Amici Curiae Climate Scientists in Support of Petitioners, Massachussetts V. Epa, 415 F.3d 50 (D.C. Cir. 2005) (Aug. 31, 2006)

36 Pages Posted: 6 Dec 2006

See all articles by John C. Dernbach

John C. Dernbach

Widener University - Commonwealth Law School

Kirsten H. Engel

University of Arizona - James E. Rogers College of Law

Robert B. McKinstry

Independent

Steph Tai

University of Wisconsin Law School

Date Written: August 31, 2006

Abstract

On Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2006, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral argument in the first case on climate change to reach the high court. University of Arizona College of Law professor Kirsten Engel co-authored an amicus brief in the case on behalf of a group of world renown climate scientists together with Professors John Dernbach of Widener University School of Law, Robert B. McKinstry Jr., of Penn State University and Stephanie Tai of the University of Wisconsin School of Law. The lawsuit will decide whether the federal Clean Air Act applies to climate change and whether EPA had a nondiscretionary duty to regulate climate-warming greenhouse gases from motor vehicles. EPA refused to regulate these gases in 2003; shortly thereafter Massachusetts and other states and environmental groups brought suit against the federal environmental agency. The brief filed by Engel and others claims that EPA and the federal appeals court mischaracterized a critical government report on climate change - written by many of the scientists on the amicus brief - by making knowledge of climate science seem less certain than it really is. The brief states that, in refusing to regulate, EPA failed to apply the standard set forth in the federal Clean Air Act.

Keywords: climate change, Clean Air Act, Massachusetts v. EPA, Amicus brief, scientists, scientific certainty

Suggested Citation

Dernbach, John C. and Engel, Kirsten H. and McKinstry, Robert B. and Tai, Steph, Brief of Amici Curiae Climate Scientists in Support of Petitioners, Massachussetts V. Epa, 415 F.3d 50 (D.C. Cir. 2005) (Aug. 31, 2006) (August 31, 2006). Arizona Legal Studies Discussion Paper No. 05-1120, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=949611 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.949611

John C. Dernbach

Widener University - Commonwealth Law School ( email )

3800 Vartan Way
Harrisburg, PA 17110-9380
United States

Kirsten H. Engel (Contact Author)

University of Arizona - James E. Rogers College of Law ( email )

P.O. Box 210176
Tucson, AZ 85721-0176
United States
520-621-5444 (Phone)

Robert B. McKinstry

Independent ( email )

Steph Tai

University of Wisconsin Law School ( email )

975 Bascom Mall
Madison, WI 53706
United States

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