Environmental -- 2016



BCCA Appeal Group, Inc. v. City of Houston   (Texas Supreme Court)

Preemption of Houston's air regulation

The NAM filed an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court of Texas to overturn a lower court ruling that allowed the City of Houston to run its own clean air enforcement office. BCCA Appeal Group, Inc. sued after the City of Houston issued an ordinance allowing criminal prosecutions, without following the procedures required by the Texas Water Code and mandating that all facilities be registered with the city. If upheld, the regulation would have subjected manufacturers to inconsistent enforcement requirements and multiple permit systems at the local level. The NAM’s brief argued that such local enforcement is preempted under provisions of the Texas Constitution by the Texas Clean Air Act. The court agreed with NAM’s arguments that Houston may not subject companies to criminal penalties that conflict with the requirements of the Texas Clean Air Act.