A district court denied summary judgment for conservation groups in a challenge to BLM's authorization of six lease sales for oil and gas development in the western United States. The groups argued BLM failed to take the requisite "hard look" when analyzing the cumulative impact of greenhouse gas em...
EPA entered into a proposed administrative settlement agreement for remedial investigation addendum/focused feasibility study under CERCLA associated with the Smeltertown site near Salida, Colorado.
EPA adopted two categorical exclusions from DOE under NEPA for drop-off, collection, and transfer facilities for recyclable materials and for installation or relocation of machinery and equipment.
EPA proposed to revise regulations that allow for the open burning and detonation (OB/OD) of waste explosives by reducing OB/OD of waste explosives and increasing control of air emissions.
United States v. Ameren Corp., No. 1:24-cv-00047 (E.D. Mo. Mar. 12, 2024). Under a proposed consent decree, settling CERCLA defendants must pay $6,074,739 and certain settling federal agencies must pay a further $600,798 for costs the United States incurred responding to releases of hazardous substances at the Missouri Electric Works Superfund site in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.
United States v. General Recycling of Washington, LLC, No. 2:24-cv-00329 (W.D. Wash. Mar. 12, 2024). Under a proposed consent decree, settling CERCLA, CWA, and OPA defendants must construct, monitor, and maintain a habitat restoration project and pay a total of $360,558.12 for assessment costs in connection with natural resource damages caused by releases of hazardous substances and discharges of oil from facilities located near the Lower Duwamish River.
United States v. Crowley Marine Services, Inc., No. 2:24-cv-00307 (W.D. Wash. Mar. 7, 2024). Under a proposed consent decree, settling CERCLA, CWA, and OPA defendants must purchase credits in a habitat restoration project constructed along the Lower Duwamish River, pay a total of $210,000 for natural resource damages, and pay $64,325.63 to reimburse assessment costs in connection with natural resource damages caused by releases of hazardous substances and discharges of oil from facilities located along and near the river.
The Montana Supreme Court, 5-2, reversed a lower court order that revoked the Montana Department of Environmental Quality's (MDEQ's) approval of a permit for construction and operation of a proposed copper mine. Conservation groups argued MDEQ's issuance of the permit violated the state's Metal Mine...
A magistrate judge recommended that a challenge to the city of Portland's amendments to its land use code imposing certain limits on the construction of new or expanded bulk fossil fuel terminals be dismissed. The state of Montana and fuel industry trade groups argued the amendments violated the dor...
A district court denied a mining company's motion for partial summary judgment in a lawsuit concerning pollution from the company's British Columbia smelter along the Upper Columbia River. Tribal members sought natural resource damages for contamination of the river. The company argued the members' ...