Species Protection as a Natural Climate Solution
This Article, adapted from Chapter 16 of What Can Animal Law Learn From Environmental Law?, 2d Edition (ELI Press, forthcoming 2020), explores existing and potential wildlife conservation policies that could play a vital role in mitigating global climate change. It describes how climate change is impacting wildlife and biodiversity around the globe and reviews the history and current state of U.S. policy, including how the federal government currently manages climate change issues under the ESA.
Northern Plains Resource Council v. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
A district court amended a previous order that vacated a nationwide permit (NWP 12) reissued by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and enjoined the Corps from authorizing any dredge or fill activities under the permit pending completion of the ESA §7 consultation process. The Corps moved for a partia...
WildEarth Guardians v. U.S. Forest Service
A magistrate judge granted in part and denied in part the Forest Service's and FWS' motion to dismiss a lawsuit concerning a Forest Service policy that allows states to decide whether bait can be used to hunt black bears in national forests. Environmental groups argued that numerous grizzly bears ha...
California Natural Resources Agency v. Ross
A district court preliminarily enjoined the Bureau of Reclamation from expanding water export operations in California's Central Valley based on biological opinions (BiOps) adopted by NMFS and FWS in 2019. California and environmental groups argued that NMFS violated the APA by concluding that expan...
Strahan v. Secretary
A district court ordered the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environment Affairs (MEOEEA) to seek an incidental take permit pursuant to the ESA before issuing licenses that allow fishermen to use vertical buoy ropes (VBRs) in Massachusetts coastal waters. A citizen argued that VBRs harm...
Center for Biological Diversity v. Esper
The Ninth Circuit affirmed summary judgment for DOD in a challenge to construction and operation of a new aircraft base in Okinawa, Japan, and its potential adverse effects on the endangered Okinawa dugong. Individuals and environmental groups argued that DOD failed to take into account the adverse ...
Louisiana Environmental Action Network v. Environmental Protection Agency
The D.C. Circuit granted a petition to review EPA's 2017 rule revising its emission standard for hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) emitted from pulp mill combustion sources. Environmental groups argued that EPA was required under §112(d)(6) of the CAA to consider the adequacy of the standard to contr...
Sierra Club v. Wheeler
The D.C. Circuit affirmed dismissal of an environmental group's request to compel EPA to produce guidelines for commercial or industrial solid waste incinerators (CISWI) and other categories of solid waste incinerators (OSWI). The group argued that the Agency failed to comply with nondiscretionary d...