ELR Citation: ELR 20334
No(s). Civ. 71-21 (N.D. Ala. Jun 21, 1971)

Plaintiffs' action alleging injury to riparian rights by upstream industrial polluters is dismissed for lack of subject matter jurisdiction because the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899, 33 U.S.C. §407, does not create a federal cause of action to protect a private right unrelated to navigation or anchorage. Alameda Conservation Ass'n v. California, 437 F.2d 1087, 1 ELR 20097 (9th Cir., 1971), distinguished because filling and obstructing San Francisco Bay is within the federally protected sphere of navigation and anchorage. Diversity of citizenship fails because some of the defendants and all of the plaintiffs are citizens of Alabama. This actual defect cannot be cured by further amendment. The complaint does not present a controversy under the Civil Rights Act, 42 U.S.C. §1983, which is intended to protect personal liberties, because plaintiffs' interest is only in protecting property rights. Alabama's issuance of a permit for industrial waste discharges is not the kind of state action that involves the Fourteenth Amendment.

Counsel for Plaintiffs:
Roscoe B. Hogan
Hogan & Smith
City Federal Bldg.
Birmingham, AL
(205) 324-5635

Charles E. Clark
1209 Brown-Marx Bldg.
Birmingham, AL 35203
(205) 252-2116

L. Drew Redden
Rogers, Howard, Redden & Mills
1033 Frank Nelson Bldg.
Birmingham, AL 35203
(205) 251-5138

Frank M. Bainbridge
Bainbridge & Mims
1010 Massey Bldg.
Birmingham, AL 35203
(205) 324-9541

Counsel for Defendants:
William B. Moore, Jr.
Rushton, Stakely, Johnston & Garrett
12th Flr., Bell Bldg., P.O. Box 270
Montgomery, AL 36101
(205) 262-1911

Charles H. Volz, Jr.
Volz, Capouano, Wampold & Prestwood
350 Adams Ave., P.O. Box 1910
Montgomery, AL 36103
(205) 264-6401

E.M. Zeidman
Massey Bldg.
Birmingham, AL 35203
(205) 252-0267

Robert G. Tate
Thomas, Taliaferro, Forman, Burr & Murray
Bank for Savings Bldg.
Birmingham, AL 35203
(205) 252-9951

L. Murray Alley
J. Gale, III
Cabaniss, Johnston, Gardner & Clark
9th Fir., First National Bldg.
Birmingham, AL 35203
(205) 323-6181

John H. Morrow
Macbeth Wagnon, Jr.
Bradley, Arant, Rose & White
1500 Brown- Marx Bldg.
Birmingham, AL 35203
(205) 323-1551

W.B. Fernambucq
Huie, Fernambucq & Stewart
2014 6th Ave., N.
Brimingham, AL
(205) 251-1193