Published Works | American Bar Association, Section of Environment, Energy and Resources, Vol. 32, No. 2 | Fall 2017

Environmental citizen suits in the Trump era

Citizen-suit provisions are found in many federal environmental statutes and generally allow private individuals or groups to file lawsuits that seek to enforce federal environmental laws, regulations, or permits against private and public entities. A significant increase in citizen-suit activity is expected under the Trump administration.

This article explores the manner, means, and potential targets of such citizen suits, focusing on citizen suits brought under the Clean Water Act (CWA), Clean Air Act (CAA), Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), and Endangered Species Act (ESA).

Download PDF Back To Listing