Includes bibliographical references (pages 473-475) and index.

Setting the stage : the Supreme Court considers foundational sources of American environmental law -- An open-minded attitude : the court's initial response to the new set of environmental statutes -- Losing steam : the court acts in the shadow of the energy crisis -- The Rehnquist court : from indifference to antagonism -- Will the climate change? : a sharply divided court considers greenhouse gases, oil spills, and rising seas. "What have been the historical foundations for federal statutory law? Is there a broad consensus about what the nation's environmental policy should be? How has the enactment of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and the Endangered Species Act in 1973 influenced decision making in environmental law? Where has the Court stood in the fight against pollution and hazardous waste, the conservation of natural resources, and ecological calamities such as oil spills? The Supreme Court and the Environment : the Reluctant Protector answers these questions, poses more questions, and comments on the current state of the Court regarding environmental issues. This is a vital reference work for researchers, students, the media, and others interested in the Supreme Court, American politics, and environmental law. In this timely work, Michael Allan Wolf offers unique and insightful perspectives and analyses of environmental decisions handed down by the U.S. Supreme Court. He begins by examining statutes and ordinances from the Colonial and early national periods and establishing historical legislative precedents. He highlights the importance of Rachel Carson's seminal work, Silent Spring, in inspiring the modern environmental movement, covers the founding of the Environmental Defense Fund and the enactment of several environmental statutes between 1970 and 1980, and examines the give-and-take roles of Congress and the President in working with the Court to enact and enforce environmental legislation"--P. [4] of cover.