A district court held that an insurance company need not defend the owner of a landfill in an underlying CERCLA suit for recovery costs. The policy provided coverage for "wrongful entry," and the owner argued this provision applied because the underlying complaint alleges that odors, gas, and hazard...

The Eleventh Circuit denied environmental groups' lawsuit challenging EPA's interim decision not to revoke Alabama's NPDES permitting authority. Alleging 26 program deficiencies, the groups petitioned EPA to begin proceedings to withdraw Alabama's authority to administer the NPDES program. EPA issue...

A district court held that the prior owner of a contaminated site is jointly and severally liable for the current owner's response costs under CERCLA §107(a). The prior owner argued that the current owner has not incurred costs that are necessary or consistent with the NCP. But there is ample uncon...

The Tenth Circuit reversed in part and affirmed in part a lower court decision holding the seller of contaminated yet commercially viable buildings liable as an arranger under CERCLA. Due to hazardous substance contamination, the buildings were under an EPA order regulating their use. The prior owne...

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...

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...

In an unpublished opinion, the Eleventh Circuit affirmed a lower court decision dismissing landowners' claims that a city violated the CWA and state law by failing to perform maintenance and repairs on a stream, pond, and dam located partially on their property. The city is a small municipal separat...

In an unpublished opinion, a New Jersey appellate court held that the New Jersey Spill Compensation and Control Act (Spill Act) does not contain a "triggering notice" in order for liability to attach. Rather, a party seeking contribution must prove a nexus or "reasonable link between the discharge, ...