A district court denied a water district's motion to intervene in an ESA lawsuit seeking protections for longfin smelt. The water district argued it had standing to intervene because its alleged injury—a reduction in water allocation—was economic, its injury was traceable to plaintiff's claims s...

The Ninth Circuit affirmed summary judgment for EPA in a challenge to a compliance order stating that landowners' property in Idaho contained wetlands subject to CWA protection and directing them to remove fill and restore the property to its natural state. The appellate court concluded that EPA rea...

A district court granted summary judgment for an environmental group in a challenge to EPA's regulations for oil spill dispersants. The group argued that EPA violated the CWA by failing to issue a final rule updating the NCP for addressing oil spills in light of new information showing the chemicals...

The Ninth Circuit affirmed summary judgment for the Army Corps of Engineers in a challenge to the Corps' proposed plans for dredging the San Francisco Bay's navigation channels. The San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission argued the Corps' refusal to comply with its conditions abou...

The Ninth Circuit affirmed dismissal of a lawsuit concerning guidance issued by EPA recommending a statistical method for assessing water toxicity. Trade groups argued the Agency violated the APA and the CWA in issuing the guidance. A district court found that the guidance was not final agency actio...

The Fifth Circuit affirmed in part and reversed in part district court rulings in a collection of lawsuits concerning oil companies' decades of drilling activities along the Louisiana coast. Six Louisiana parishes filed suit in state court, arguing the companies violated the Louisiana State and Loca...