Summary
noting that "when the EPA approves a SIP, it becomes federal law"
Summary of this case from Sierra Club v. La. Dep't of Envtl. QualityOpinion
No. 17-20545
02-24-2023
ENVIRONMENT TEXAS CITIZEN LOBBY, INCORPORATED; Sierra Club, Plaintiffs—Appellees, v. EXXONMOBIL CORPORATION; ExxonMobil Chemical Company; ExxonMobil Refining & Supply Company, Defendants—Appellants.
Philip Harlan Hilder, Hilder & Associates, P.C., Houston, TX, Charles Craig Caldart, Esq., National Environmental Law Center, Seattle, WA, Joshua Robert Kratka, National Environmental Law Center, Boston, MA, David A. Nicholas, Newton, MA, for Plaintiffs-Appellees. Russell S. Post, Fields Alexander, Beck Redden, L.L.P., Houston, TX, Keith Alan Courtney, McGinnis Lochridge, L.L.P., Austin, TX, Eric J. R. Nichols, Butler Snow, L.L.P., Austin, TX, Hicks, Davis & Wynn, P.C., Houston, TX, for Defendants-Appellants. Aaron Michael Streett, Baker Botts, L.L.P., Houston, TX, for Amici Curiae American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers, BCCA Appeal Group, Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America, National Association of Manufacturers, Texas Association of Business, American Chemistry Council, Texas Chemical Council, Texas Oil & Gas Association. Christopher Anderson, U.S. Department of Justice, Environment & Natural Resources Division-Appellate, Washington, DC, for Special Respondent United States Environmental Protection Agency. Suzanne Reddell Chauvin, Esq., City of Houston, Legal Department, Houston, TX, for Amicus Curiae City of Houston. Michael Robert Hull, Senior Assistant County Attorney, County Attorney's Office for the County of Harris, Houston, TX, for Amicus Curiae Harris County Attorney Vince Ryan. Kelly Leigh Haragan, Esq., University of Texas School of Law Environmental Law Clinic, Austin, TX, Kirti Datla, Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund, Washington, DC, for Amicus Curiae Air Alliance Houston.
Appeal from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, USDC No. 4:10-CV-4969, David Hittner, U.S. District Judge ON PETITION FOR REHEARING EN BANC (Opinion July 29, 2020, 5 CIR., 2020, 968 F.3d 357) (Opinion August 30, 2022, 5 CIR., 2022, 47 F.4th 408) Philip Harlan Hilder, Hilder & Associates, P.C., Houston, TX, Charles Craig Caldart, Esq., National Environmental Law Center, Seattle, WA, Joshua Robert Kratka, National Environmental Law Center, Boston, MA, David A. Nicholas, Newton, MA, for Plaintiffs-Appellees. Russell S. Post, Fields Alexander, Beck Redden, L.L.P., Houston, TX, Keith Alan Courtney, McGinnis Lochridge, L.L.P., Austin, TX, Eric J. R. Nichols, Butler Snow, L.L.P., Austin, TX, Hicks, Davis & Wynn, P.C., Houston, TX, for Defendants-Appellants. Aaron Michael Streett, Baker Botts, L.L.P., Houston, TX, for Amici Curiae American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers, BCCA Appeal Group, Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America, National Association of Manufacturers, Texas Association of Business, American Chemistry Council, Texas Chemical Council, Texas Oil & Gas Association. Christopher Anderson, U.S. Department of Justice, Environment & Natural Resources Division-Appellate, Washington, DC, for Special Respondent United States Environmental Protection Agency. Suzanne Reddell Chauvin, Esq., City of Houston, Legal Department, Houston, TX, for Amicus Curiae City of Houston. Michael Robert Hull, Senior Assistant County Attorney, County Attorney's Office for the County of Harris, Houston, TX, for Amicus Curiae Harris County Attorney Vince Ryan. Kelly Leigh Haragan, Esq., University of Texas School of Law Environmental Law Clinic, Austin, TX, Kirti Datla, Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund, Washington, DC, for Amicus Curiae Air Alliance Houston. Before Richman, Chief Judge, and Jones, Smith, Stewart, Elrod, Southwick, Haynes, Graves, Higginson, Willett, Ho, Duncan, Engelhardt, Oldham, Wilson, and Douglas, Circuit Judges. Per Curiam:
A member of the court having requested a poll on the petition for rehearing en banc, and a majority of the circuit judges in regular active service and not disqualified having voted in favor,
IT IS ORDERED that this cause shall be reheard by the court en banc with oral argument on a date hereafter to be fixed. The Clerk will specify a briefing schedule for the filing of supplemental briefs. Pursuant to 5th Circuit Rule 41.3, the panel opinions in this case dated July 29, 2020, and August 30, 2022, are VACATED.