Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Ass'ns v. Glaser
The Ninth Circuit reversed the dismissal of a lawsuit concerning a tile drainage system in the San Joaquin Valley that discharged agricultural drainage into navigable waters without an NPDES permit. Fishermen and conservation groups argued the district court erred by placing the burden on them of pr...
PennEast Pipeline Co., LLC
The Third Circuit vacated a district court decision granting a gas pipeline company's orders of condemnation and preliminary injunctive relief for immediate access to properties along the pipeline route that had been preserved by New Jersey for recreational, conservation, and agricultural use. New J...
Oberlin, Ohio v. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
The D.C. Circuit remanded to FERC for further explanation of its order authorizing a company to construct an interstate natural gas pipeline through Michigan and Ohio and to use eminent domain to acquire any necessary rights-of-way. A city and landowner group sought vacatur of the order, arguing tha...
Center for Biological Diversity v. United States Environmental Protection Agency
The Fifth Circuit dismissed environmental groups' challenge to EPA's issuance of a CWA general permit authorizing discharges from oil and gas facilities operating in the Gulf of Mexico. Environmental groups argued that EPA violated NEPA by failing to prepare an adequate EIS before issuing the permit...
Clean Water Action v. United States Environmental Protection Agency
The Fifth Circuit upheld a 2017 EPA rule that postponed compliance dates mandated by the Agency's 2015 rule setting new effluent limitation guidelines for flue gas desulfurization wastewater and bottom ash transport water from steam electric power plants. Environmental groups argued the 2017 rule ef...
TransCanada Keystone Pipeline, LP v. Dunavan
A state high court upheld the Nebraska Public Service Commission's determination that approval of an alternative route for a proposed oil pipeline was in the public interest. Landowners and Native American tribes argued the Commission lacked jurisdiction under the state's Major Oil Pipeline Siting A...
Oregon Cattlemen's Association v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
In an unpublished opinion, the Ninth Circuit reversed the denial of an environmental group's motion to intervene in a lawsuit challenging EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' 2015 Clean Water Rule. The court found that the group had a practical interest in the rule and that this interest was no...