Puget Soundkeeper Alliance v. Cruise Terminals of America LLC
A district court granted in part and denied in part cross-motions for summary judgment in a CWA citizen suit alleging a cruise ship terminal and port discharged industrial stormwater runoff and other pollutants into U.S. waters without a NPDES permit. The environmental group that initiated the lawsu...
Oil Spill by the Oil Rig "Deepwater Horizon"
A district court held a petroleum company liable for $159.5 million in civil penalties under the CWA in connection with the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster. The court applied each of the CWA’s eight civil penalty factors in reaching its conclusion, with "seriousness" and "culpability" being the mo...
Environmental Integrity Project v. United States Environmental Protection Agency
A district court dismissed environmental groups' CAA citizen suit against EPA for failing to respond to their 2011 petition concerning ammonia gas pollution. In 2011, the groups petitioned EPA asking it to find that ammonia gas pollution endangers the public health and welfare, designate ammonia as ...
Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Ass'n v. Environmental Protection Agency
The D.C. Circuit dismissed a truck association's lawsuit against EPA challenging California's tractor-trailer emission rules. The association argued that the state regulations impermissibly discriminate against out-of-state tractor trailers in violation of the dormant Commerce Clause. The associatio...