Bury-It Landfill Operates a Successful Business Disposing of Refuse from Alabama

question 328

Multiple Choice

Bury-It Landfill operates a successful business disposing of refuse from Alabama and other states. In response to pressure from the environmental lobby, the Alabama legislature passes a law prohibiting Alabama landfill operators from accepting any out-of-state garbage. Bury-It challenges the law as unconstitutional. The landfill operator is likely to:

• A) lose the case because environmental protection is more important than profits
• B) lose the case because the state may decide what goods move across its borders
• C) win the case because the law violates the Commerce Clause
• D) win the case because the law violates the Separation of Powers doctrine
• E) win the case because promoting competitive business practices is more important than environmental concerns

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Definitions:

Dimethylheptanoic Acid

denotes a hypothetical organic compound, potentially misnamed, suggesting a heptanoic acid derivative substituted with two methyl groups.

γ-hydroxypentanoic Acid

An organic compound characterized by a five-carbon chain with a hydroxyl group attached to the third carbon and a carboxylic acid group at the end.

γ-hydroxy-γ-methylbutyric Acid

An organic compound, structurally related to β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB), and is involved in the biosynthesis and metabolism of fatty acids.

δ-hydroxyvaleric Acid

An organic compound that is structurally a hydroxylated form of valeric (pentanoic) acid, where the hydroxyl group is on the δ-carbon.