What are citizen suit provisions?
Citizen–suit provisions are found in many federal environmental statutes and generally allow private individuals or groups to file lawsuits that seek to enforce federal environmental laws, regulations, or permits against private and public entities.
Are citizens suits an effective way to enforce environmental law?
Because agencies do not catch and prosecute all violators of environmental statutes, citizen suits can be extremely useful, empowering anyone with an interest in environmental protection to demand that laws be enforced.
What is the citizen suit provision of the Clean Air Act?
In a citizen suit, the court may grant an injunction, impose penalties, and award attorney fees and litigation costs to any prevailing or partially prevailing party whenever the court determines such an award is appropriate.