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National Association of Home Builders v. Bruce Babbitt, Secretary, United States Department of Interior and Mollie Beattie, Director, United States Fish and Wildlife Service Case Brief
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Case Brief Summary & Legal Analysis
tl;dr: The D.C. Circuit upheld the Endangered Species Act’s application to a purely intrastate insect, finding Congress’s Commerce Clause power sufficient to regulate activities threatening its existence due to impacts on biodiversity and interstate competition.
Legal Significance: This case affirmed broad congressional power under the Commerce Clause to regulate intrastate activities affecting endangered species, even those with no direct commercial value, based on aggregate impacts on biodiversity and prevention of destructive interstate competition.
National Association of Home Builders v. Bruce Babbitt, Secretary, United States Department of Interior and Mollie Beattie, Director, United States Fish and Wildlife Service Law School Study Guide
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Case Facts & Court Holding
Key Facts & Case Background
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) listed the Delhi Sands Flower-Loving Fly (Fly), an insect species found exclusively within an eight-mile radius in California, as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). This listing impacted San Bernardino County’s plans to construct a hospital and redesign a nearby intersection, as these activities were deemed likely to constitute a prohibited “take” of the Fly under ESA § 9(a)(1). The National Association of Home Builders and local government entities (Appellants) challenged this application of the ESA, arguing that regulating activities affecting a purely intrastate species with no apparent commercial value exceeded Congress’s authority under the Commerce Clause. The Fly’s habitat had been reduced by over 97% due to urban development. The FWS had previously negotiated with the County regarding the hospital construction, leading to habitat set-asides, but the proposed intersection redesign threatened a critical habitat corridor. The district court granted summary judgment for the government, upholding the ESA’s application.
Court Holding & Legal Precedent
Issue: Does the application of Section 9(a)(1) of the Endangered Species Act, prohibiting the “take” of an endangered species, to the purely intrastate Delhi Sands Flower-Loving Fly, exceed Congress’s power under the Commerce Clause?
Affirmed. The application of ESA § 9(a)(1) to the Delhi Sands Flower-Loving Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea com
IRAC Legal Analysis
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Legal Issue
Does the application of Section 9(a)(1) of the Endangered Species Act, prohibiting the “take” of an endangered species, to the purely intrastate Delhi Sands Flower-Loving Fly, exceed Congress’s power under the Commerce Clause?
Conclusion
The case establishes significant precedent for upholding federal environmental regulations, including the Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore mag
Legal Rule
Congress may regulate activities under its Commerce Clause power if they involve: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in vol
Legal Analysis
The D.C. Circuit, in Judge Wald's opinion, reasoned that ESA § 9(a)(1) Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in v
Flash-to-Full Case Opinions
Flash Summary
- The D.C. Circuit held that the Endangered Species Act’s (ESA) prohibition