Petition for Writ of Certiorari — Korsinsky v. Environmental Protection Agency (No. 06-716)
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aris OF THE CLERK
N
| In the
Supreme Court of the United States
GERSH KORSINSKY,
Petitioner,
VS.
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY,
Respondent(s).
ON PETITION FOR A WRIT OF CERTIORARI
TO THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE SECOND CIRCUIT
PETITION FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI
GERSH KORSINSKY
1236 — 49" Street, Apartment 4B
Brooklyn, New York 11219
(713) 435-1107
Petitioner Pro Se
QUESTIONS PRESENTED
If Very Limited Judicial Power extends to Individual
Controversies Cases to which the United States shall be a
Party, even not concern public health and life high risk, such”
high risk diseases from consume contaminated water, air and
soil agriculture products, and cut off water supply, and nature
catastrophic destruction from global warming, which can be
avoidable, and even opportunity of the court's review of the
merits of the standing, can to satisfy the requirements of the
Article I, Section 8, {1],[18], Article II, Section 2, [3], Section
1 [8]; the Article III, Section [1] [2], Preamble, First
Amendment
If Very Limited Judicial Power extends to only about
1% of Supreme Court Review of the cases that filed each
Term, which take away the judicial power to Justice all
legislative and the executive activities, which created from
political interests which vulnerable to ignoring of the US
Constitutional requirements, can to satisfy of the requirements
of the Article III, Section 2, [1], [2], Preamble; of the Article
If, Section 1,[8], Section 3, First Amendment.
If courts obligate review of the US Government
obligation to promote of new Inventions that make avoidable
high risk to health and life from consume water and air, or
government has the initial burden to presenting evidence or
reasons why would not can be promoted to satisfy
requirements of the Article 1, Section 8 [8],{1],[18]; Art. II
[8], Sec.3
If facts, such plaintiff asserts that he is “ more
vulncrable to diseases —causing consuming contaminated
water, air and soil agriculture products than general
population because allegedly is suffering from sinuses related
diseases pathology and chronic during its entire life (affects
similar to allergic nature, and 70 years old, he developed a
mental sickness from more from 25 years learning of the
danger of contaminated water and air consuming", can be
—
i
courts hears argument and reviewed to confer standing
purposes, can satisfy requirements of the Art. I, Sec.8[1],[18]
First Amendment.
If courts have jurisdictions to order to comply of real
time water testing and exhaustless air pollutant, which is not a
discretional nature, or government has that initial burden to
presenting evidence or reasons why would not can be
complied for judicial review can satisfy requirements of the
Art. 1, Sec. 8{1],[18], Art. III, Sec. 2{1],{2]; Amendment 1.
If facts health and life affection from the
contamination water, air and agriculture consume was and
will be, which government recognized, but was not detectable
or was not preventive warning at real time, can be to plaintiff
to confer standing to satisfy of Art. I, Sec. 8{1],[18]; Art. I,
Sec. 2,{1],[2]; First amendment.
ll
LIST OF PARTIES
A list of all parties to the proceeding in the court whose
judgment is the subject of this petition is as follows:
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY,
NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION,
NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH,
U.S. FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION,
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY,
NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.
Ll
PETITION FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI
Petitioner respectfully prays that a writ of certiorari
issue to review the judgment below.
OPINIONS BELOW
The opinions of the United States Court of Appeals
appear at pages A-1 and A-4 of the :ppendix to the petition
and are unpublished.
The opinions of the United States district court appear
at pages A-7 and A-12 of the appendix to the petition and are
unpublished.
JURISDICTION
The dates on which the United States Court of
Appeals decided my cases were: August 04, 2006 (05-5577)
and August 10, 2006 (05-6802).
No petition for rehearing was timely filed in my cases.
The jurisdiction of this Court is invoked under 28
U.S.C. § 1254(1).
CONSTITUTIONAL AND STATUTORY
PROVISIONS INVOLVED
"Preamble: We the People of the United States...
establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for
common defence, promote the General Welfare..."
Article [, Section 8, [1]: "The Congress Shall have
Power...provide for the common defence and general Welfare
of the United States..."
[8}: “To promote the Progress of Science and use ful
Arts, ...”
[18]: “To make all laws which shall be necessary and
proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing
Powers vested by this Constitution in the
Government of the United States, or In any
Department or Officer thereof.”
l
Article II, Section 1,[8]: “ ...and will to the best of my
Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the
United States."
Section 3: "...he shall take care that the laws be
faithfully executed, and shall Commission all the Officers of
the United States. "
Article III, Section [2] [1]: " The Judicial Power shall
extend to all Cases, in Law and Equity, arising under this
Constitution, the laws of the United States, and Treaties
made, or shall be made, under their Authority; — to all Cases
affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls; —
to all Cases of admiralty and maritime Jurisdiction; — to
Controversies to which The United States shall be a Party; —
ee
{2} “In all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public
Ministers and Consuls, and those in which a state shall be a
party, the supreme Court shall have original Jurisdiction, in
all other Cases before mentioned, the Supreme Court shall
have appellate Jurisdiction, both as to Law and fact, with such
Exceptions, and under such Regulations as the Congress shall
make.”
Amendment I: "Congress shall make no law
respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free
exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the
press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to
petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
STATEMENT OF THE CASE
The judgments and decisions of the US District court
for the Southern District of New York (Honorable Denny
Chin, Judge) and (Honorable Naomi Reice Buchwald, Judge)
Affirmed by United States Court of Appeals for the Second
Circuit of New York.
The two judgments are sought to be reviewed on a
writ of certiorari to the same court and involve identical or
closely related questions, as a single petition.
This centers on a narrow in context of a category of
2
actually and progressive treat of contaminating and poisoning
from not tested water supplying, and cut off of the only Water
Supply System from not stocking water during supplying, and
catastrophic increasing contaminating air and soil, which
causes serious risk for difference category health status
individuals for over 10 million people in short terms, and
nature global destroying from "Global Warming" in long
terms. Which is avoidable and can be solved through two
new inventions, published on 31._March 2005 by US Patent
and Trademark Office Inventions.
The importance proper government acting concerns
and recognizes are supported by the Clean Air Act, Clean
Water Act, National Primary Drinking Water Regulations, 40
CFR of EPA, NYS Sanitary Code (LONY CRR), 21 USC 602,
21 USC Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act ("FFDCA"),
Federal Meat Inspection, etc., and other related Common
Laws and regulations, and-Federal Employers’ Liability Act;
by Michael Baur, et al. v. Veneman et al., 352 F. 3d 625:
2003 US, ete:
Plaintiffs Standing supported by Michael Baur, et al.
v. Veneman et al., 352 F. 3d 625: 2003 US, ctc.; and by Cas
R. Sunsteen, "Standing Injuriens," 1993 SUP. CT. REV. 37,
58 (1994); and Jerry L. Mashaw, "Rights in Federal
Administrative State,” 92 Yale L J. 1129, 1168 (1983); and
NYC Drinking Water Yearly Report, etc.
Contaminated air, water and agriculture products
consuming causes health and life affection from very large
difference sources that affects, which are too broad and which
cannot be learned or experienced, even for same little
judgment, and, therefore, cannot be subjected to
administratively discretionary matters.
Air pollutant exhausting preventing and tested (which
cannot be monitored substituted) water supplying, and
reserving water by cut off water supplying, absolutely cannot
be subjected to administratively discretionary matters.
Governments and courts actions against smoking and water
3
pollutant, recognized of the serious and danger of air
pollution and water pollution, which is sufficient to confer
standing.
Pollution sedimentation causes of air, water and soil
contamination by failure perform of legal duties, subjected to
human life and health high risk, which sufficient to confer
Standing.
REASONS FOR GRANTING THE PETITION
The decisions of the lower court is not concerned the
high risk for people's life and health from not tested and none
stocked water supplying, and not exhaustless air pollutant,
which may be are in conflict with the providing of the
common Defense and general Welfare of the United States
that in conflict with the US Constitution (Art. I, Sec. 8, Cl. 1)
The lower Court decisions not exercise of courts
supervisory power for not tasted and not stocked water
supplying, and not exhaustless pollutant imposing for general
Welfare of the people maybe in conflict with provision (Art.
I, Sec. 8, Cl. 1)
The laws that very limits courts supervisory power
over governments activities, even high risk for human's life
and health, such not tested and not stocked water supplying,
and not exhausted pollutant using, even without reasons or
evidences are maybe in conflict with First Amendment:
- "Congress shall make no law...to petition the Government for
a redress of grievances"; and Art. II, Sec. 2, Cl. 1 "The
judicial Power shall extend to all Cases in Law and Equity,
arising under this Constitution.”
Because, in the present Cases public state agencics are
Parties and concerns public Welfare, the Supreme Court shall
have original Jurisdiction, therefore, maybe the Court grants
and hears argument in only about 1% of the cases that are
filed each Term not applied to satisfy constitutional Art. III,
sec. 2, Cl. Z.
The lower Court’s erroneous factual that the present
case is distinguished from other such cases by immediately
4
personal ip sureness or high risk to human life and health;
and plainti ore from other people vulnerable to diseases
because his age and his chronic pathological abnormality; and
because the knowledge of the danger of consuming of
contaminated water, air which developed a mental sickness
caused him to invent technologies for exhaustless pollutant
and tested and stocked water supplying which personalized
grievance for sufficient to confer standing.
The lower Court’s erroneous factual that the present
cases about to promote science related to human health and
life in short terms and environmental protection in long terms
which the Congress obligation under Art. I, Sec 8: "The
Congress Shall Have Power...To promote the progress of
Science..."
The lower Court’s erroneous factual Plaintiff's clear
right that to have defendants impose Exhaustless pollutant
using, and Tested and Stocked water supplying as a plainly
common defined and. courts there exist jurisdiction to compel
agencies actions, or must be proved that cannot be allowed to
be.
The lower Court’s decisions are prevent court's review
of the merits of the case which issues concerned Humans
health and life which such importance to the public, which
take away judicial supervisory power over Government
activities which is in conflict with the First Constitutional
Amendment.
The US Court of Appeals has decided public
important issues, concerned to human's health and life that
has not been, but should be settled by this Court, or has
decided in a way that conflict with Constitutional First
Amendment.
CONCLUSION
The petition for a writ of certiorari should be granted.
Respectfully submitted,
GERSH KORSINSKY
1236 - 49th STREET, APARTMENT 4B
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK 11219
1-713- 435-1107
PETITIONER, PRO SE
Dated: September 22, 2006
APPENDIX A
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE SECOND CIRCUIT
SUMMARY ORDER
THIS SUMMARY ORDER WILL NOT BE PUBLISHED IN
THE FEDERAL REPORTER AND MAY NOT BE CITED
AS PRECEDENTIAL AUTHORITY TO THIS OR ANY
OTHER COURT, BUT MAY BE CALLED TO THE
ATTENTION OF THIS OR ANY OTHER COURT IN A
SUBSEQUENT STAGE OF THIS CASE, IN A RELATED
CASE, OR IN ANY CASE FOR PURPOSES OF
COLLATERAL ESTOPPEL OR RES JUDICATA.
At a stated term of the United States Court of Appeals
for the Second Circuit, held at the United States Courthouse,
Foley Square, in the City of New York, on the 4th day of
August, two thousand and six.
PRESENT: HON. DENNIS JACOBS,
HON. ROSEMARY S. POOLER
Circuit Judges,
HON. EDWARD R. KORMAN*,
District Chief Judge.
i ct ne ee xX FILED
AUG 04 2006
GERSH KORSINSKY,
Plaintiff-Appellant,
-V.- 05-5577
USA ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY,
NYS DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL
CONSERVATION, NYS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH,
USA FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, NYC
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION,
A-l
HOMELAND SECURITY DEPARTMENT,
Defendants-Appellees.
*The Honorable Edward R. Korman, Chief Judge of the
United States District Court for the Eastern District of New
York, sitting by designation.
APPEARING FOR APPELLANT:
GERSH KORSINSKY, pro se, NY, NY.
APPEARING FOR APPELLEES:
PIERRE G. ARMAND, Assistant United States Attorney
(Michael J. Garcia, United States Attorney for the Southern
District of New York, on the brief), NY, NY.
Appeal from the United States District Court for the
Southern District of New York (Chin, J.).
UPON DUE CONSIDERATION, IT IS HEREBY
ORDERED, ADJUDGED AND DECREED that the
judgment of the district court be AFFIRMED.
Gersh Korsinsky ("Korsinsky") appeals pro se from
the June 13, 2005 order of the United States District Court for
the Southern District of New York (Chin, J.), granting
defendants’ motions to dismiss. Familiarity is assumed as to
the facts, the procedural context, and the specification of
appellate issues.
We review de novo a district court's grant of a motion
to dismiss pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b) (6), construing the
complaint in the light most favorable to the plaintiff and
accepting its allegations as true. See Desiano v._ Warner-
Lambert Co., 326 F.3d 339, 347 (2d Cir. 2003); Paine Webber
Inc. v. Bybyk, 81 F.3d 1193, 1197 (2d Cir. 1996). Under this
standard, we affirm the dismissal for the ground stated in the
A-2
district court's Memorandum Decision.
For the foregoing reasons, the judgment of the district court is
AFFIRMED.
FOR THE COURT:
ROSEANN B. MACKECHNIE, CLERK
By:
s/
Lucille Carr, Deputy Clerk
APPENDIX A
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE SECOND CIRCUIT
SUMMARY ORDER
THIS SUMMARY ORDER WILL NOT BE PUBLISHED IN
THE FEDERAL REPORTER AND MAY NOT BE CITED
AS PRECEDENTIAL AUTHORITY TO THIS OR ANY
OTHER COURT, BUT MAY BE CALLED TO THE
ATTENTION OF THIS OR ANY OTHER COURT IN A
SUBSEQUENT STAGE OF THIS CASE, IN A RELATED
CASE, OR IN ANY CASE FOR PURPOSES OF
COLLATERAL ESTOPPEL OR RES JUDICATA.
At a stated term of the United States Court of Appeals
for the Second Circuit, held at the Thurgood Marshall United
States Courthouse, Foley Square, in the City of New York, on
the 10th day of August, Two thousand and six.
PRESENT:
HON. BARRINGTON D. PARKER,
HON. RICHARD C, WESLEY,
HON. PETER W. HALL,
Circuit Judges.
FILED
AUG 10 2006
GERSH KORSINSKY,
Plaintiff-Appellant,
-V.- SUMMARY ORDER
No. 05-46802-cv
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA),
N.Y.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION, N.Y.S. DEPARTMENT OF
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION,
Defendants-Appellees.
A-4
For Plaintiff-Appellant:
Gersh Korsinsky, pro se, Brooklyn, New York.
For Defendants-Appellees:
Lawrence H. Fogelman, Assistant United States
Attorney for the Southern District of New York, New
York, NY; Simon Wynn, Assistant Attorney General
(Michael Belohlavek, Senior Counsel, Daniel J.
Chepaitis, Assistant Solicitor General, on the brief),
Office of the Attorney General, New York, NY;
Elizabeth S. Natrella, Senior Counsel, Appeals
Division, The City of New York Law Department,
New York, NY.
Appeal from the United States District Court for the
Southern District of New York (Naomi Reice Buchwald,
Judge).
UPON DUE CONSIDERATION WHEREOF, IT
IS HEREBY ORDERED, ADJUDGED AND DECREED
that the judgment of the District Court be and it hereby is
AFFIRMED.
Gersh Korsinsky, pro se, appeals from the district
court's judgment dismissing his suit for lack of subject matter
jurisdiction. We assume the parties’ familiarity with the
factual and procedural history.
Article III, § 2 of the United States Constitution limits
federal courts to deciding only cases or controversies, and,
thus, at a minimum, a plaintiff seeking relief in federal court
must "allege, and ultimately prove, that he has suffered an
injury-in-fact that is fairly traceable to the challenged action
of the defendant, and which is likely to be redressed by the
requested relief." Baur v. Veneman, 352 F.3d 625, 632 (2d
Cir. 2003). "At the pleading stage, general factual allegations
of injury resulting from the defendant's conduct may suffice,
for on a motion to dismiss [it is] presum[ed] that general
A-5
allegations embrace those specific facts that are necessary to
support the claim." Lujan v. Defenders of Wildlife, 504 U.S.
555, 561 (1992) (internal quotation marks omitted).
Nonetheless, the injury must be "actual" or "imminent," rather
than "conjectural" or "hypothetical." /d. at 560 (internal
quotation marks omitted).
Korsinsky's primary claim, that global warming and
. carbon dioxide emissions may cause him a future injury, is
too speculative to establish standing. See Jaghory v. N.Y.
State Dep't of Educ., 131 F.3d 326, 330 (2d Cir. 1997) ("The
keystone for determining injury in fact is the requirement that
it be distinct and palpable....") (internal quotation marks
omitted). Korsinsky does not explain exactly what injury
may be caused by the appellees’ actions, nor does he explain
how the appellees’ actions have increased any possible risk to
his health. Moreover, Korsinsky has failed to sufficiently
allege that his injury is likely to be redressed by any relief the
district court could grant.
For these reasons, the judgment of the district court is
hereby AFFIRMED. The mandate shall issue forthwith.
FOR THE COURT:
Roseann B. MacKechnie, Clerk
By: s/
Lucille Carr
A-6
APPENDIX B
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
GERSH KORSINSKY,
Plaintiff,
-against-
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY et al.,
Defendants.
MEMORANDUM DECISION
05 Civ. 1528 (DC)
APPEARANCES: (See last page)
CHIN, D.J.
Pro se plaintiff Gersh Korsinsky brings this action
against federal, state, and city agencies to compel them to
take steps to ensure "a safe, reliable, sufficient water supply"
and to protect "the health and well-being [of] natural
resources held in trust by New York State." (Compl. 7).
Defendants — the United States Environmental Protection
Agency, the Food and Drug Administration, the Department
of Homeland Security, the New York State Department of
Environmental Conservation, the New York State Department
of Health, and the New York City Department of
Environmental Protection -- move to dismiss the complaint
for lack of subject matter jurisdiction and failure to state a
claim upon which relicf may be granted. For the reasons that
follow, the motion is granted and the complaint is dismissed
in all respects, with prejudice.
A-7
STATEMENT OF THE CASE
A. The Facts
The pro se complaint is difficult to decipher.
Construed liberally, the complaint alleges the following facts:
Plaintiff resides in Brooklyn. (Id. ¥ 1). Defendants
supply to the public water that is contaminated by, inter, alia,
contaminants from animals or humans, microbial
contaminants, inorganic contaminants, pesticides and
herbicides, and radioactive contaminants. The contamination
poses a health risk to plaintiff and to "the public." (Id., J 2, 3,
5, 7). There are available "practical, feasible and
economically viable options," including a "new invention,"
that would ensure a safe, reliable, sufficient, and secure water
supply. (Id. §§ 4, 40-50). Defendants have failed to take
advantage of these options, thereby contributing to the public
health risk. (Id. p. 10).
B. Prior Proceedings
Plaintiff commenced this action on February 4, 2005.
The complaint does not purport to seek money damages, but
requests a permanent injunction enjoining each defendant "to
eliminate its contribution to the public health risk by requiring
it to eliminate the presence of contaminants" in water that
pose a health risk. (Id. p. 10).
The state and city defendants moved to dismiss on
March 15, 2005. The federal defendants moved to dismiss on
April 22, 2005.
DISCUSSION
The motions to dismiss are granted and the complaint
is dismissed, for this Court lacks subject matter jurisdiction
over this action because plaintiff lacks standing.
A-8
The "case or controversy" requirement of Article III of
the Constitution “obligates the federal courts to hear only
suits in which the plaintiff has alleged some actual or
threatened harm to him or herself, as a result of a ‘putatively
illegal action." Leibovitz v. New_York City Transit Auth.,
252 F.3d 179, 184 (2d Cir. 2001) (quoting Linda R.S. v.
Richard D., 410 U.S. 614, 617 (1973)). To meet the
constitutional requirement of standing, a plaintiff must allege
a sufficient personal stake in the outcome of the controversy
"to ensure the presence of ‘that concrete adverseness which
sharpens the presentation of issues upon which the court so
largely depends." Lee v. Bd. of Governors of Fed. Reserve
Sys., 118 F.3d 905, 910 (2d Cir. 1997) (quoting Baker v.
Carr, 369 U.S. 186, 204 (1962)). A plaintiff must allege and
prove (1) injury in fact, 1.e., injury that is concrete and
particularized as well as actual or imminent and not just
conjectural or hypothetical, (2) a causal connection between
the injury and the defendant's wrongful action, and (3) the
likelihood that the requested relief will redress the injury.
Lujan v. Defenders of Wildlife, 504 U.S. 555, 560-61 (1992).
Here, plaintiff has failed to allege any concrete or
particularized injury caused by defendants. Instead, he has
alleged only a generalized harm to public health caused by
defendants' purported failure to provide safe drinking water.
See Warth v. Seldin, 422 U.S. 490, 499 (1975) ("[W]hen the
asserted harm is a ‘generalized grievance’ shared in
substantially equal measure by all or a large class of citizens,
that harm alone normally does not warrant the exercise of
jurisdiction."). Likewise, plaintiff has failed to allege any
causal connection between his alleged injuries and any
alleged wrongful conduct by defendants, nor has he alleged
that his purported injuries are likely to be redressed by any
relief this Court could order. Hence, plaintiff lacks standing to
bring this action.
Defendants have raised other meritorious arguments in
support of their motions to dismiss. In light of plaintiff's lack
of standing, I do not discuss them.
CONCLUSION
Defendants' motions are granted and the complaint is
dismissed in its entirety, with prejudice.
SO ORDERED.
Dated: New York, New York
June 13, 2005
—_
DENNY CHIN
United States District Judge
APPEARANCES
For Plaintiff:
GERSH KORSINSKY
Plaintiff, Pro Se
1236 49th Street, Apt. 4B
Brooklyn, New York 11219
For New York State and New York City agency defendants:
ELIOT SPITZER
Attorney General of the State of New York
By: Simon Wynn, Esq.
Assistant Attorney General
Environmental Protection Bureau
120 Broadway
New York, New York 10271
A-10
MICHAEL A. CARDOZO
Corporation Counsel of the City of New York
By: Tracy Triplett, Esq.
100 Church Street, Room 6-133
New York, New York 10007
For Federal Defendants:
DAVID N. KELLEY
United States Attorney for the
Southern District of New York
By: Allison D. Penn, Esq.
Assistant United States Attorney
86 Chambers Street
New York, New York 10007
A-1]
APPENDIX B
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
GERSH KORSINSKY,
Plaintiff,
-against - MEMORANDUM AND ORDER
05 Civ. 859 (NRB)
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA);
N.Y.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL
CONSERVATION; N.Y.C. DEPARTMENT OF
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION,
Defendants. |
NAOMI REICE BUCHWALD
UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
Pro se plaintiff Gersh Korsinsky, a New York
resident, has brought this action against the United States
Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA"), the New York
State Department of Environmental Conservation
("NYSDEC") and the New York City Department of
Environmental Protection ("NYCDEP") (collectively,
"defendants"), alleging "public nuisance" and seeking
injunctive relief. Defendants now move to dismiss all of
plaintiff's claims. For the reasons set forth herein, defendants’
motions to dismiss are granted.
BACKGROUND!
On January 25, 2005, plaintiff filed his complaint in
this action, seeking relief under the federal common law of
' The following facts are drawn from plaintiff's complaint
and, as is appropriate on a motion to dismiss under Fed. R.
Civ. P. 12 (b) (6), are assumed herein to be true.
A-12
public nuisance, or alternatively under state law of public
nuisance, for the phenomenon of global warming.” Plaintiff
alleges that defendants have contributed to global warming
both by annually emitting "approximately 6,500 million tons
of carbon dioxide" and by failing to implement "practical,
feasible and economically viable options for eliminate [sic]
carbon dioxide emissions." Compl. 4 2, 5. The only such
option identified in the complaint is plaintiff's own invention,
for which he apparently has sought a patent, and which he
asserts will "eliminate carbon dioxide emissions without
significantly increasing the cost of process activities." Id. at 5.
Plaintiff seeks an order holding defendants jointly and
severally liable for their contributions to global warming. He
also requests an order enjoining each defendant from
contributing further to global warming by eliminating its
emissions of carbon dioxide. Finally, plaintiff appears to
request an order requiring defendants to implement his
invention. Defendants NYSDEC and NYSDEP (collectively,
"New York defendants") moved to dismiss the complaint on
March 16, 2005, after which the EPA moved to dismiss the
complaint on May 12, 2005. Defendants have moved to -
dismiss the complaint in its entirety on the grounds of lack of
subject matter jurisdiction and failure to state a claim “upon
which relief can be granted.’
? The complaint contains a lengthy recitation of the harms of
global warming. Ironically, the vast majority of this
discussion appears to have been copied verbatim from the
complaint in a separate case brought by the New York
defendants and others against companies that allegedly are
among the nation's five largest emitters of carbon dioxide.
* The EPA has also moved to dismiss under Fed. R. Civ. P. 8.
We do not consider this argument in light of our conclusion
that subject matter jurisdiction is lacking in this case.
A-13
DISCUSSION
in considering a motion to dismiss for lack of subject
matter jurisdiction or for failure to state a claim, the Court
must accept as true all material factual allegations in the
complaint. Levy ex rel. Immunogen Inc. v. Southbrook Int'l
Invs., Ltd., 263 F.3d 10, 14 (2d Cir. 2001); Shipping Fin.
Servs. Corp. v. Drakos, 140 F.3d 129, 131 (2d Cir..1998)
(citing Scheuer v. Rhodes, 416 U.S. 232, 236 (1974)). In
addition, "the complaint of a pro se litigant should be liberally
construed in his favor." Salahuddin v. Cuomo, 861 F.2d 40,
42-43 (2d Cir. 1988) (citation omitted). However,
"{cJonclusory allegations or legal conclusions masquerading
as factual conclusions will not suffice to prevent a motion to
dismiss." Smith v. Local 819 I.B.T. Pension Plan, 291 F.3d
236, 240 (2d Cir. 2002) (quoting Gebhardt v. Allspect, Inc.,
96 F. Supp. 2d 331, 333 (S.D.N.Y. 2000)). A motion to
dismiss may be granted only where "it appears beyond doubt
that the plaintiff can prove no set of facts in support of his
claim which would entitle him to relief.” Still v. DeBuono,
101 F3d 888, 891 (2d Cir. 1996) (quoting Conley v. Gibson,
355 U.S. 41, 45-46 (1957)).
Defendants argue that plaintiff's complaint must be
dismissed for several reasons. Because we find that subject
matter jurisdiction is lacking in this case, we need not
consider any of defendants’ additional arguments. See Rhulen
Agency, Inc. v. Alabama Guar. Ass'n, 896 F.2d 674, 678 (2d
Cir. 1990).
I. Standing
The issue of standing is "the threshold question in
every federal case, determining the power of the court to
entertain the suit." Warth v. Seldin, 422 U.S. 490, 498-99,
(1975); see also Elk Grove Unified School Dist. v. Newdow,
542 U.S. 1, 14-15 (2004) ("In every federal case, the party
bringing the suit must establish standing to prosecute the
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action."). At a minimum, plaintiff must satisfy three elements
in order to establish standing: 1) an injury in fact that is (a)
concrete and particularized and (b) actual or imminent rather
than conjectural or hypothetical; 2) a causal connection
between the injury and the alleged conduct; and 3) likelihood
that the injury will be redressed by a favorable decision. See
Lujan v. Defenders of Wildlife, 504 U.S. 555, 560-61 (1992);
Heldman v. Sobol, 962 F.2d 148, 154 (2d Cir. 1992). "At the
pleading stage, general factual allegations of injury resulting
from the defendant’s conduct may suffice,” Lujan v. National
Wildlife Federation, 497 U.S. 871, 889 (1990).
After alleging no injury in his complaint, plaintiff
alleges for the first time in his memorandum of law that he
has been, or will be, injured in two ways.’ First, plaintiff
asserts that he is “more vulnerable to disease-causing
environmental pollution that general [sic] population”
because he allegedly is “suffering from sinuses related
diseases [sic] pathology and chronic during its entire life
(affects [sic] similar to allergic nature).” Op. At 3. Second,
plaintiff claims that he “developed a mental sickness”
learning of the danger of pollution. Id. at 4-5. Neither of
these alleged injuries is sufficient to confer standing.
While the Second Circuit has held that enhanced risk
may in some circumstances qualify as sufficient injury to
confer standing, see Baur v. Veneman, 352 F.3d 625, 634 (2d
Cir. 2003), the enhanced risk of illness alleged in this case is
*In light of plaintiff's pro se status, such allegations are
appropriately considered. See Burgess v. Goord, 1999 WL
33458, at *1 nl (S.D.N.Y. Jan. 26, 1999) ("The policy
reasons favoring liberal construction of pro se pleadings
warrant the Court's consideration of the allegations contained
in plaintiffs’ memorandum of law, at least where those
allegations are consistent with the allegations in the
complaint." (citing Donahue v. United States Dep't of Justice,
751 F.Supp. 45, 49 (S.D.N.Y. 1990))).
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insufficient.” Plaintiff alleges that over time, global warming
will enhance the risk of contaminated drinking water. Plaintiff
alleges that he is more vulnerable to environmental pollution
generally and also cites a report stating that some people may
be more vulnerable to microorganisms in drinking water.
Such allegations fall more within the realm of the
hypothetical and conjectural than the actual or imminent and
therefore are insufficient for purposes of standing. See
Defenders of Wildlife, 504 U.S. at 564 n.2 ("Although
imminence is concededly a somewhat elastic concept, it
cannot be stretched beyond its purpose, which is to ensure
that the alleged injury is not too speculative for Article III
purposes--that the injury is certainly impending.” (internal
quotations omitted)).
Plaintiff's second assertion, that he has developed
some form of mental illness from knowledge of the dangers
of pollution over the years, is also insufficient to confer
standing. If we interpret plaintiff's allegation to mean that he
has some continuing apprehension from the dangers of
> We note that this case is distinguishable from Baur because
the holding of that case was limited to "the specific context of
food and drug safety suits." Baur, 352 F.3d at 634. Regardless
of whether such a distinction is meaningful, plaintiff's alleged
increase in risk fails to satisfy the analysis under Baur. The
court in Baur noted that "the probability of harm which a
plaintiff must demonstrate in order to allege a cognizable
injury-in-fact logically varies with the severity of the probable
harm." Id. at 637. There, the risk at issue was transmission of
a "deadly disease with no known cure or treatment." Id. at
637. Therefore, the court concluded that even a "moderate
increase" in the risk of transmitting such a disease would be
sufficient to confer standing. Id. at 637. Here, by contrast,
plaintiff alleges nothing more than an increase in risk over a
long period of time of aggravating a chronic condition similar
to allergies.
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pollution, then it is clearly a generalized grievance, which is
insufficient to confer standing. See Defenders of Wildlife,
504 U.S. at 575. If plaintiffs allegation were interpreted to
mean that he actually has developed some form of mentai
illness from the knowledge of the danger, it nonetheless
would not confer standing because the requested relief would
not redress the alleged injury. See Baur, 352 F.3d at 632 ("To
establish Article III standing, a plaintiff must therefore allege,
and ultimately prove, that he has suffered an injury-in-fact
that is fairly traceable to the challenged action of the
defendant, and which is likely to be redressed by the
requested relief." (citing Bennett v. Spear, 520 U.S. 154, 162,
(1997))). The requested relief in this case -- that defendants
be held liable for contributions to global.warming, enjoined
from contributing further and required to use plaintiff's
invention -- simply would not redress plaintiff's alleged
mental injury stemming from knowledge of the general
dangers of pollution.
Conclusion
For the reasons set forth above, defendants' motions to
dismiss are granted in their entirety, and all claims against
defendants are dismissed.
SO ORDERED.
Dated: New York, New York
September 28, 2005
s/
NAOMI REICE BUCHWALD
UNITED STATES DISTRICT ILUIDGE
Copies of the foregoing Memorandum and Order have
been mailed on this date to the following:
Plaintiff
Gersh Korsinsky
1236 4%h Street, Apt. 4B
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Brooklyn, NY 11219
Counsel for Defendant United States
Environmental Protection Agency
Lawrence H. Fogelman, Esq.
Assistant United States Attorney
Office of the United States Attorney
Southern District of New York
86 Chambers Street
New York, NY 10007
Counsel for Defendant New York State
Department of Environmental Conservation
Simon Wynn, Esq.
Assistant Attorney General
State of New York
120 Broadway
New York, NY 10271
Counsel for Defendant New York City Department
of Environmental Protection
Michael Burger, Esq.
Assistant Corporation Counsel
City of New York
Law Department
100 Church Street
New York, NY 10007
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
GERSH KORSINSKY, 05 CIVIL 0859 (NRB)
Plaintiff.
JUDGMENT
-against-
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA);
et al.
Defendants.
Defendants having moved to dismiss, and the matter
having come before the Honorable Naomi Reice Buchwald,
United States District Judge, and the Court, on September 28,
2005, having rendered its Memorandum and Order granting
defendants’ motions to dismiss in their entirety and dismissing
all claims against defendants, it is,
ORDERED, ADJUDGED AND DECREED: That
for the rcasons stated in the Court's Memorandum and Order
dated September 28, 2005, defendants’ motions to dismiss are
granted and all claims against defendants are dismissed.
Dated: New York, New York
September 30, 2005
J. MICHAEL McMAHON
Clerk of Court
By: s/
Deputy Clerk
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