Friends of the King River v. County of Fresno
A California appellate court upheld a lower court decision denying an environmental group's petition challenging a county's approval of a proposed surface mining operation on a 1,500-acre site at the base of the Sierra Nevada foothills. As required by the California Environmental Quality Act, an env...
Shanley v. Chalmette Refining, LLC
A district court dismissed four individuals' claims that the emission of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) from an oil refinery in Chalmette, Louisiana, caused them a variety of physical and mental damages. The toxic tort case involves 1,836 plaintiffs who allege exposure to H2S and SO...
Buffalo River Watershed Alliance v. Department of Agriculture
A district court held that the Farm Service Agency and the Small Business Administration violated NEPA and the ESA when they guaranteed loans to a hog farm without adequately assessing the farm's environmental impact. The farm, which houses 6,500 swine, is located near a tributary of the Buffalo Nat...
Amador County, California v. United States Department of the Interior
The D.C. Circuit affirmed a lower court decision dismissing a Native American tribe's motion to intervene in a county's lawsuit against DOI challenging its approval of a casino gaming compact between the tribe and the state of California. Under the agreement, the tribe would open a casino on its pro...
Parish of Plaquemines v. Total Petrochemical & Refining USA, Inc.
A district court remanded to state court a Louisiana parish's lawsuit against 19 oil and gas companies for alleged environmental damages stemming from the companies' exploration, production, and transportation activities. The parish claims these operations were conducted in violation of the State an...
Cleveland National Forest Foundation v. San Diego Association of Governments
A California appellate court held that the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) failed to adequately consider greenhouse gas emissions impacts in violation of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) during its preparation of its 2050 regional transportation plan. A lower court ruled...