Citizen suit provisions began emerging in the 1970s when Congress introduced new environmental laws. After the passage of these laws, citizens gained the power to hold individuals, organizations, and government agencies accountable through these provisions of the law – including holding state and federal government agencies accountable for failing to enforce environmental regulations that protect clean air and water.
Howard University’s Environmental and Climate Justice Center has created the Citizen Suit Report, which educates citizens on how federal courts rule on citizen suits for eight environmental laws: Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), Clean Air Act (CAA), Clean Water Act (CWA), Endangered Species Act (ESA), National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA), Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), and the Toxic Substances and Control Act (TSCA). The Report can be accessed here.