Back in 2000, a Supreme Court opinion opened the door for that possibility. The critical issue for citizen suits is who — the government or private citizens — collects fines and has control. A person filing a citizen suit must tell the government ahead of time. Citizen suits can force compliance with the law and result in fines, which go to the U.S. Treasury. The civil rights group told a Mississippi federal court that the turbines are a pollution threat to those who lived nearby, many of whom are Black.