EPA Is Shut Down, But Courthouse Doors Still Open

Federal courts are open even though the EPA’s doors are closed, but judges are already putting the brakes on a raft of cases as the government shutdown drags on.

The Environmental Protection Agency was able to stay in business an extra week thanks to unspent funds, but now a prolonged shutdown would run up against a host of pending deadlines for the agency to act.

The agency has numerous court-ordered deadlines looming in the coming weeks, and it’s unclear how much patience the judges who set them will have. A lengthy shutdown could also trip up the EPA’s ability to ...