Which statement about causation in standing is correct?

Which statement about causation in standing is correct?

• A. The existence of injury alone suffices.
• B. Causation is not required if injury is strong.
• C. The injury must be imminent and concrete.
• D. The injury must be caused by the agency action, not merely that the injury exists.

Answer: (D)

In standing, the crucial idea is that there must be a causal link between the challenged agency action and the plaintiff’s harm. The injury you allege must be caused by the agency action, not just exist in isolation or be caused by some other factor. If the harm would occur regardless of the agency’s action, the plaintiff lacks standing because there’s no connection to the action the court could remedy. That’s why this statement is the right one: the injury must be caused by the agency action, not merely that the injury exists. The other options misstate the test in various ways: injury in fact alone isn’t enough without a traceable link to the action; causation isn’t dispensable even if the harm is strong; and while injuries can be actual or imminent, insisting they must be imminent and concrete goes beyond what standing requires.

In standing, the crucial idea is that there must be a causal link between the challenged agency action and the plaintiff’s harm. The injury you allege must be caused by the agency action, not just exist in isolation or be caused by some other factor. If the harm would occur regardless of the agency’s action, the plaintiff lacks standing because there’s no connection to the action the court could remedy.

That’s why this statement is the right one: the injury must be caused by the agency action, not merely that the injury exists. The other options misstate the test in various ways: injury in fact alone isn’t enough without a traceable link to the action; causation isn’t dispensable even if the harm is strong; and while injuries can be actual or imminent, insisting they must be imminent and concrete goes beyond what standing requires.