Steel Company, Aka Chicago Steel and Pickling Company v. Citizens for a Better Environment

Decided March 4, 1998. Antonin Scalia delivered the opinion of the Court.

Docket 96-643 · 523 U.S. 83 (1998) · Cited 10,096 times

We don’t yet publish a summary of this opinion — read the official text below for the Court’s holding and reasoning.

How the Justices voted

Decided 9–0.

“Concurring” means agreeing with the outcome; any split shown is the Court’s judgment, not each Justice’s reasoning. Source: the Supreme Court Database (Spaeth et al.), Washington University.

Precedents cited

Supreme Court decisions this opinion relies on, ordered by how often it cites each. Cases in our collection link through; others are named.

• Bell v. Hood · 327 U.S. 678 (1946)
• Secretary of the Navy v. Avrech · 418 U.S. 676 (1974)
• Lujan v. Defenders of Wildlife · 504 U.S. 555 (1992)
• Gwaltney of Smithfield, Ltd. v. Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Inc. · 484 U.S. 49 (1987)
• National Railroad Passenger Corporation v. National Assn. of Railroad Passengers · 414 U.S. 453 (1974)
• Simon v. Eastern Kentucky Welfare Rights Organization · 426 U.S. 26 (1976)
• Block v. Community Nutrition Institute · 467 U.S. 340 (1984)
• Sierra Club v. Morton · 405 U.S. 727 (1972)
• Norton Ex Rel. Chiles v. Mathews · 427 U.S. 524 (1976)
• Warth v. Seldin · 422 U.S. 490 (1975)
• Renne v. Geary · 501 U.S. 312 (1991)
• Bivens v. Six Unknown Named Agents of Federal Bureau of Narcotics · 403 U.S. 388 (1971)
• City of Los Angeles v. Lyons · 461 U.S. 95 (1983)
• Davis v. Passman · 442 U.S. 228 (1979)
• Linda R. S. v. Richard D. · 410 U.S. 614 (1973)
• United States v. Augenblick · 393 U.S. 348 (1969)
• Philbrook v. Glodgett · 421 U.S. 707 (1975)
• Chandler v. Judicial Council of the Tenth Circuit · 398 U.S. 74 (1970)
• O'Shea v. Littleton · 414 U.S. 488 (1974)
• Moor v. County of Alameda · 411 U.S. 693 (1973)
• Mt. Healthy City School District Board of Education v. Doyle · 429 U.S. 274 (1977)
• Baker v. Carr · 369 U.S. 186 (1962)
• Allen v. Wright · 468 U.S. 737 (1984)
• Ashwander v. Tennessee Valley Authority · 297 U.S. 288 (1936)
• Whitmore Ex Rel. Simmons v. Arkansas · 495 U.S. 149 (1990)
• United States v. W. T. Grant Co. · 345 U.S. 629 (1953)
• Parker v. Levy · 417 U.S. 733 (1974)
• Gladstone, Realtors v. Village of Bellwood · 441 U.S. 91 (1979)
• Schlesinger v. Reservists Committee to Stop the War · 418 U.S. 208 (1974)
• Lake Country Estates, Inc. v. Tahoe Regional Planning Agency · 440 U.S. 391 (1979)

Cited by

Later Supreme Court opinions in our collection that cite this case.

• Sprint Communications Co. v. APCC Services, Inc. · 554 U.S. 269 (2008)
• Ruhrgas Ag v. Marathon Oil Co. · 526 U.S. 574 (1999)
• Lexmark Int'l, Inc. v. Static Control Components, Inc. · 572 U.S. 118 (2014)
• Friends of the Earth, Inc. v. Laidlaw Environmental Services (TOC), Inc. · 528 U.S. 167 (2000)
• Vermont Agency of Natural Resources v. United States Ex Rel. Stevens · 529 U.S. 765 (2000)
• Thole v. U. S. Bank N. A. · 590 U.S. 538 (2020)
• California v. Texas · 593 U.S. 659 (2021)
• Rockwell International Corp. v. United States · 549 U.S. 457 (2007)
• Tenet v. Doe · 544 U.S. 1 (2005)
• Arbaugh v. Y & H Corp. · 546 U.S. 500 (2006)
• Verizon Maryland Inc. v. Public Service Commission of Maryland · 535 U.S. 635 (2002)
• Sinochem International Co. v. Malaysia International Shipping Corp. · 549 U.S. 422 (2007)
• Brownback v. King · 592 U.S. 209 (2021)
• Wilkins v. United States · 598 U.S. 152 (2023)
• Spokeo, Inc. v. Robins · 578 U.S. 330 (2016)
• Bowles v. Russell · 551 U.S. 205 (2007)
• Massachusetts v. Environmental Protection Agency · 549 U.S. 497 (2007)
• Campbell-Ewald Co. v. Gomez · 577 U.S. 153 (2016)
• Uzuegbunam v. Preczewski · 592 U.S. 279 (2021)
• Hein v. Freedom From Religion Foundation, Inc. · 551 U.S. 587 (2007)
• Philip Morris USA v. Williams · 549 U.S. 346 (2007)
• Babb v. Wilkie · 589 U.S. 399 (2020)
• Reyes Mata v. Lynch · 576 U.S. 143 (2015)
• Moody v. NetChoice, LLC · 603 U.S. 707 (2024)
• Atlantic Richfield Co. v. Christian · 590 U.S. 1 (2020)
• MOAC Mall Holdings LLC v. Transform Holdco LLC · 598 U.S. 288 (2023)
• Monsalvo Velazquez v. Bondi · 604 U.S. 712 (2025)
• Union Pacific R. Co. v. Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen Gen. Comm. of Adjustment, Central Region · 558 U.S. 67 (2009)
• Haywood v. Drown · 556 U.S. 729 (2009)
• Salazar v. Buono · 559 U.S. 700 (2010)

Official text

Read the official opinion (U.S. Reports, govinfo.gov)

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Source: the U.S. Reports via govinfo.gov; authoring Justice and vote lineup from the Supreme Court Database (Washington University). Citation count from the Free Law Project’s CourtListener bulk data. Data last verified 2026-07-03. Informational only; verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).