Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Environmental Resources v. United States Postal Service

OPINION OF THE COURT

ALITO, Circuit Judge:

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Environmental Resources (“DER”) appeals from a district court order granting judgment on the pleadings in favor of the United States Postal Service on the DER’s claim for civil penalties based on violations of state environmental requirements, 810 F.Supp. 605. The district court held that the Postal Service retained sovereign immunity with respect to these penalties. We hold that the district court’s reasoning is inconsistent with governing Supreme Court precedent, and we therefore reverse the district…