[20060106]RS22359_塞缪尔·阿利托法官的环境观点.pdf

1 As identified by the Federal Environmental Cases database in Westlaw.2 Amy Goldstein and Sarah Cohen, Alito, In and Out of the Mainstream, Wash. Post, Jan. 1, 2006,at A1. Divided opinions, reflecting as they do close questions of law, are generally assumed tobe more representative of the type of issues of interest to the Supreme Court. Congressional Research Service The Library of CongressCRS Report for CongressReceived through the CRS WebOrder Code RS22359January 6, 2006The Environmental Opinions of Judge Samuel Alitoname redactedLegislative AttorneyAmerican Law DivisionSummaryThe nomination of Judge Samuel A. Alito, Jr., to serve on the Supreme Court hasprompted close scrutiny of his judicial opinions during 15 years as an appellate judge.A review of the 34 opinions in environmental cases in which Judge Alito participatedgenerally reveals careful reasoning based on straightforward readings of statutes orregulations, without broad philosophical assertions. At the same time, a small numberof his opinions arguably suggest endorsement of larger jurisprudential principles thatmay present hurdles to environmental plaintiffs (through narrow interpretation of aconstitutional standing r