Supreme Court Will Review Ruling That Keeps Border Closed

Supreme Court Will Review Ruling That Keeps Border Closed

Teamsters, Coalition Partners, Confident Environmental Laws Will Be Upheld

December 15, 2003

(Washington, D.C.) – The U.S. Supreme Court today granted the Bush Administration’s request to review a federal court order requiring the Department of Transportation (DOT) to prepare a full Environmental Impact Statement and Clean Air Act conformity determination before it can open the U.S.-Mexico border.

“We are confident that when the justices review all the facts in this case, the court will recognize the need for the DOT to pay attention to the health concerns of U.S. citizens,” said Jim Hoffa, Teamsters General President. “In a rush to open the border, the administration failed to recognize those concerns.”

Last January, the Ninth Circuit Court issued its decision calling for the in-depth studies. In its ruling, the court found that the DOT “acted arbitrarily and capriciously” by failing to prepare a full Environmental Impact Statement.

The Bush administration asked the Supreme Court to step in despite the fact that the DOT has already begun to assess the environmental impacts in compliance with the court order, including holding nine public hearings across the country.

On May 1, 2002, the Teamsters joined a broad-based coalition of environmental, labor and consumer groups in a lawsuit to stop the Bush administration from opening the border to Mexican truck traffic. The lawsuit charged the Bush administration with violating environmental laws for not considering the environmental impact of Mexican trucks, which emit more pollution than U.S. trucks.

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents more than 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States and Canada.