U.S. Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch has withdrawn from an upcoming environmental case involving a proposed Utah railway after concerns about a potential conflict of interest. The court announced Wednesday that Gorsuch’s recusal aligns with its code of conduct introduced last year.
The move followed a request from Democratic lawmakers, who cited businessman Philip Anschutz’s financial ties to the case. Anschutz, a former Gorsuch client, has interests potentially affected by the railway project. Congressman Hank Johnson praised the decision but emphasized the need for stricter ethics standards at the Supreme Court.
The case, to be argued next week, examines federal requirements for environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act, focusing on the impact of a railway designed to transport waxy crude oil from Utah’s Uinta Basin.
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