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Full-Text Articles in Law
Presidential Permitting For Pipelines: Constitutionality And Reviewability, Joan Campau
Presidential Permitting For Pipelines: Constitutionality And Reviewability, Joan Campau
Michigan Journal of Environmental & Administrative Law
Federal oversight of cross-border pipelines occurs during the presidential permitting process. Pursuant to Executive Order 13337, the Department of State is authorized to review applications and grant permits to projects that “serve the national interest.” Scholars and litigants have questioned the constitutionality of this process and reviewability under the Administrative Procedure Act (“APA”). This Note argues that the permitting process is constitutional and derives legitimacy from both the executive powers explicitly enumerated in the Constitution as well as an implicit sanction from the legislative branch. Further, this Note argues that APA review is appropriate for at least one component of …
How Safe Is Too Safe? Exemption 7(F) And The Withholding Of Critical Documents, Grant Snyder
How Safe Is Too Safe? Exemption 7(F) And The Withholding Of Critical Documents, Grant Snyder
Michigan Journal of Environmental & Administrative Law
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is one of the main tools used by the American public to investigate the actions of its government. Congress created FOIA in an attempt to make most government documents available to the public. Today, the FOIA process favors government withholding. This bias comes from institutional issues in courts’ review of FOIA challenges.
In the environmental and administrative law context, federal agencies use many exemptions to withhold government records from citizen and non-profit groups. Agencies that are tasked with permitting and regulating energy pipelines and other environmentally-sensitive infrastructure now regularly cite Exemption 7(F). These agencies …