Association of Irritated Residents v. California Department of Conservation
In an unpublished opinion, a California appellate court affirmed dismissal of a challenge to the Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources' issuance of 213 permits to drill new oil wells in a California oil field. Environmental groups argued the Division failed to comply with the California Env...
Communities for a Better Environment v. South Coast Air Quality Management District
A California appellate court affirmed dismissal of a challenge to the South Coast Air Quality Management District's determination that an oil refinery project would reduce air pollution. An environmental group first argued the environmental impact report (EIR) was inadequate under the California Env...
Bark v. United States Forest Service
In an unpublished opinion, the Ninth Circuit held that the U.S. Forest Service's decision not to prepare an EIS for a tree-thinning project in Mount Hood National Forest was arbitrary and capricious. A district court concluded that the Service's decision was lawful and thus granted summary judgment ...
Natural Resources Defense Council v. Wheeler
The D.C. Circuit vacated a 2018 EPA rule that instituted a complete vacatur of its 2015 rule blocking the use of hydrofluorocarbons as replacements for ozone-depleting substances. An environmental group argued the 2018 rule was invalid because it was a legislative rule and was thus improperly promul...
Sierra Club v. Environmental Protection Agency
The D.C. Circuit dismissed a petition to review EPA's Guidance on Significant Impact Levels (SILs) for Ozone and Fine Particles in the Prevention of Significant Deterioration Permitting Program, which sets numerical SILs that can be used by companies applying for PSD permits. An environmental group ...
Wheelabrator Baltimore, L.P. v. Mayor and City Council of Baltimore
A district court granted two Baltimore solid waste incineration facilities' partial motion for summary judgment in a challenge to the Baltimore Clean Air Act (BCAA). The facilities argued the BCAA was "conflict preempted" by Maryland law because it prohibited solid waste incinerators from operating ...
Atchafalaya Basinkeeper v. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
A district court denied summary judgment to environmental groups in a challenge to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' issuance of permits for construction of a crude oil pipeline across the Atchafalaya Basin. The groups argued that the Corps violated NEPA by failing to take a hard look at the risk of...