Anthony Kennedy

In a defeat for environmentalists, the Supreme Court on Wednesday sided with the U.S. timber industry in a dispute over whether loggers should have to get special EPA permits because of gravel and dirt falling into nearby waterways. In a 7-1 vote, the court reversed a lower-court ruling which said the run-off from logging sites is the same as any other industrial pollution, requiring a Clean Water Act permit from the Environmental Protection Agency. The Supreme Court justices said the logging companies did not need to get the permits. During the arguments, the timber companies had said a ruling against them would put the U.S. timber industry out of business -- and that it would cost millions for every single logging project to get EPA permits. The EPA itself disagreed with the lower-court ruling. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy said for the court that the agency's reading of its own regulations is entitled to deference from the court. In any event, the agency has since issued a n...

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