Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/19pdf/17-1498_8mjp.pdf
Page Number: 27

Cite as:  590 U. S. ____ (2020) 

1 

Opinion of ALITO, J. 

SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES 

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No. 17–1498 
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ATLANTIC RICHFIELD COMPANY, PETITIONER v. 
GREGORY A. CHRISTIAN, ET AL. 

ON WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO THE SUPREME 
COURT OF MONTANA 

[April 20, 2020] 

JUSTICE ALITO, concurring in part and dissenting in part. 
I agree with the Court that the judgment below must be
reversed,  and  I  join  all  of  the  Court’s  opinion  except  Part
II–B.  I thus agree with the Court that we possess jurisdic-
tion to decide this case.  See ante, at 8.  I also agree that the 
landowners  are  potentially  responsible  parties  under
§122(e)(6) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) and, as
a result, cannot bring their Montana restoration damages
claim without the consent of the Environmental Protection 
Agency (EPA).  See ante, at 13–21.  At this point, however,
I am not willing to endorse the Court’s holding in Part II–B 
that state courts have jurisdiction to entertain “challenges”
to EPA-approved CERCLA plans. 

I 
I would not decide that question because it is neither nec-
essary  nor  prudent  for  us  to  do  so.    As  I  understand  the 
Court’s opinion, the Montana Supreme Court has two op-
tions on remand: (1) enter a stay to allow the landowners to 
seek EPA approval or (2) enter judgment against the land-
owners on their restoration damages claim without preju-
dice  to  their  ability  to  refile  if  they  obtain  EPA  approval. 
Either  way,  the  case  cannot  proceed  without  the  EPA’s