The court holds that bankruptcy discharges a state environmental agency's environmental liability claims against an oil company believed to be the successor to the owner of an abandoned oil site where hazardous substances had been released. The court first holds that the state agency's environmental...

The court holds that a canning company may seek cleanup and abatement costs from the former owner of its canning operation site under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The court first holds that the canning company's post-filing cleanup costs are not clearly barred by RCRA. Although...

The court holds that the Secretary of the Interior violated the Endangered Species Act (ESA) by failing to designate critical habitat for the silvery minnow. The Secretary claimed that he could not complete the minnow's critical habitat designation due to fiscal limitations imposed by Congress. The ...

The court denies a state's motion to stay a decision that the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) improperly decided that the evolutionary significant unit of coho salmon did not warrant listing as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The court first holds that the state...

The court holds that the National Marine Fisheries Service's (NMFS') decision not to list the Oregon Coast evolutionary significant unit (ESU) of coho salmon as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) was arbitrary and capricious and was based on an erroneous legal standard. The court firs...

The court holds unlawful a U.S. Department of Commerce fishing quota that allocates the summer catch of scup on a state-by-state basis for Massachusetts, New York, and Rhode Island. Massachusetts argued that the quota was based on incomplete historical data that reflected only scup landings from lar...

The court denies New Mexico's request for a preliminary injunction and construction of a 1992 injunction to prevent shipments of waste to the waste isolation pilot plant (WIPP) in that state. The court first holds that the state cannot prove a likelihood of success on the merits. A previous injuncti...

The court upholds a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule that allows the Agency to issue variances from general Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) treatment standards if such standards would likely discourage aggressive remediation of previously disposed of hazardous waste. The...

The court holds that a district court abused its discretion by abstaining from hearing property owner's Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) claims against two petroleum companies. The court first holds that Florida's underground storage tank (UST) program is preempted to the extent there i...

The court affirms a district court's grant of summary judgment in favor of the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC), finding that its denial of Connecticut's petition for rulemaking under the Magnuson-Stevens Act was not arbitrary or capricious and was consistent with all relevant law. Connecticut soug...