From The Day comes the sad news that Anthony Palazzolo, the namesake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Palazzolo v. Rhode Island, 533 U.S. 606 (2001), has died.
Anthony Palazzolo, whose fight to develop his property in Misquamicut made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court, died Nov. 3 at the age of 91.
Palazzolo, a former auto wrecker and lifelong resident of Westerly, sued the state of Rhode Island for 17 years before ending his fight in 2005.
The case pitted environmentalists and property-rights activists from across the country. Environmental officials said Palazzolo’s plan to fill and develop his wetlands would “strangle” Winnapaug Pond, since the marsh is a habitat for fish and shellfish, and filters and cleanses waters that end up in the pond.
Read the entire story here.
My PLF colleague Jim Burling argued the case on behalf of Mr. Palazzolo.