Law Commons^™

State Environmental Protection Versus The Commerce Power, K. Dennis Sisk

University of Richmond Law Review

As commerce and industry have invaded once virgin lands and waters in an era of heightened environmental consciousness, increasing numbers of state legislatures have responded with strict environmental protection measures. Environmental protection is unquestionably a legitimate state interest, but such measures often impede the flow of interstate commerce. This article addresses the tension between state environmental protection statutes and the federal constitution's commerce clause. The essential thesis is that traditional commerce clause analysis has not been applied with sufficient sensitivity to adequately reconcile state environmental interests with federal commercial interests.