A district court denied summary judgment for a trade group representing ranchers and beef producers in a challenge to FWS' denial of the group's petition to remove the southwestern willow flycatcher from the endangered list under the ESA. The group argued FWS' denial, which concluded the southwester...

The D.C. Circuit affirmed dismissal of a challenge to two FWS rules that delayed a 2021 proposed rule to reduce the amount of land in the Pacific Northwest designated as critical habitat for the northern spotted owl. A logging group challenged the validity of the rules delaying the effective date of...

The D.C. Circuit affirmed in part and reversed in part summary judgment for commercial fishermen in a challenge to an NMFS rule implementing an amendment to a fishery management plan for reef fish resources in the Gulf of Mexico. The fishermen argued the amendment arbitrarily relied on an economic a...

A district court granted summary judgment for a conservation group in a challenge to the Natural Resource Conservation Service's (NRCS') 2020 rule regarding certification of maps delineating wetlands. The group argued NRCS changed its policy regarding pre-1996 wetland certifications without exercisi...

The Fourth Circuit affirmed a district court order remanding to state court two climate deception lawsuits against oil and gas companies. City and county governments in Maryland initially sued in state court, alleging the companies used and promoted fossil fuel products while knowing, concealing, an...

A district court granted in part and denied in part a tribe's motion for partial summary judgment in a lawsuit concerning a hydroelectric dam on the Puyallup River in Washington. The tribe argued the dam operator's installation of a temporary rock dam/spillway unlawfully harmed and harassed Chinook ...

A district court denied a mining company's motion for partial summary judgment in a lawsuit concerning pollution from the company's British Columbia smelter along the Upper Columbia River. Tribal members sought natural resource damages for contamination of the river. The company argued the members' ...

A district court granted the state of Vermont's motion to remand to state court a climate misinformation suit brought against fossil fuel companies. The state initially sued in state court, arguing the companies violated the Vermont Consumer Protection Act by failing to inform consumers about the im...

A district court granted in part environmental groups' motion for summary judgment in a challenge to various agency actions relating to EPA's approval of the state of Florida's application to assume permitting authority under §404 of the CWA. The groups argued EPA and FWS violated the ESA because n...