North Carolina Alliance for Transportation Reform, Inc. v. United States Department of Transportation

Several environmental groups challenged the construction of a federal highway project in North Carolina, alleging that an environmental impact statement prepared in connection with the project failed to evaluate the project’s effect on climate change. Both sides moved for summary judgment. The district court granted defendants’ motion, holding that the National Environmental Policy Act requires an analysis of air quality but that it does not expressly refer to climate change or greenhouse gas emissions and thus such an analysis was not necessary.