Supreme Court Backs Uinta Basin Railway

Addison Nelson

Supreme Court Backs Uinta Basin Railway #BreakingNews, #TrendingNews, #WorldNews, #DailyUpdates, #NewsToday, #LiveNews, #GlobalNews, #TopStories, #CurrentEvents, #HotNews

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00:00In a unanimous decision on May 29, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favour of allowing

00:07construction of the Uinter Basin Railway, a controversial 88-mile rail line set to transport

00:14crude oil from northeastern Utah to national rail networks for eventual shipment to Gulf Coast

00:20refineries. The ruling reverses a previous decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the

00:26D.C. Circuit, which had halted the project over concerns that the Surface Transportation Board,

00:32STB, failed to fully assess the environmental consequences, particularly the indirect impacts

00:39of increased oil drilling and downstream refining. Writing for the court, Justice Brett Kavanaugh

00:46clarified that under the National Environmental Policy Act, NEPA, federal agencies are only

00:52required to evaluate the direct environmental effects of the projects they authorise, not

00:58the broader or indirect outcomes related to those projects. The court's interpretation

01:04significantly limits the scope of federal environmental reviews, said environmental law

01:10expert Linda Schneider. This could streamline future infrastructure approvals, but it also

01:16reduces oversight for projects with potentially far-reaching environmental impacts. Supporters of the

01:23railway, including Utah state officials and energy industry stakeholders, have praised the decision,

01:29citing its potential to boost regional economic growth and energy transport efficiency. They argue the

01:35railway will provide a vital link between the isolated Uinter Basin and national markets. However,

01:43critics warn of the environmental risks the project may pose. Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser and

01:50several environmental groups voiced concern that the ruling could open the door to increased fossil

01:56fuel production with little federal accountability. This is a blow to communities and ecosystems along the

02:03proposed route, said a spokesperson for Earthjustice, one of the groups opposing the railway. The ruling allows

02:10regulators to ignore the broader consequences of their actions. Justice Neil Gorsuch recused himself from the case due to a

02:18potential conflict of interest linked to a stakeholder in the project. While the Supreme Court decision removes a

02:26major legal barrier, the Uinter Basin railway still faces logistical and financial hurdles. Environmental

02:33advocates have vowed to continue resisting the project through other regulatory and public channels.

02:40nu.

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