The Ninth Circuit vacated an NPDES permit issued by EPA for concentrated animal feeding operations in Idaho. Environmental groups argued the permit lacked sufficient monitoring provisions to ensure compliance with its "zero discharge" requirements for production and land-application areas. The court...
The Ninth Circuit, 2-1, vacated and remanded a district court ruling in a CWA citizen suit concerning a clay manufacturer's discharges. Environmental groups argued the manufacturer illegally discharged pollutants into navigable waters, failed to monitor the discharge as required by its NPDES permit,...
A district court granted summary judgment for the Forest Service in environmental groups' lawsuit concerning federally permitted livestock grazing in Colville National Forest. The groups argued the Service violated NEPA and the National Forest Management Act (NMFA) by failing to adequately assess th...
A Minnesota appellate court affirmed the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's (MPCA's) decision to issue a CWA §401 certification for the Line 3 crude oil pipeline replacement project. Native American tribes and environmental groups challenged the decision, arguing the MPCA failed to consider alter...
A district court vacated and remanded EPA's and the Army Corps of Engineers' Navigable Waters Protection Rule, which established a new definition of "waters of the United States" under the CWA. EPA and the Corps sought voluntary remand of the rule without vacatur to give them time to revise or repla...
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...
A district court granted EPA's motion to remand without vacatur the Clean Water Act Section 401 Certification Rule., full_html...
A district court granted partial summary judgment for environmental groups in a CWA citizen suit concerning water quality standards for mercury in Idaho. The groups argued that EPA's failure to promptly publish and promulgate mercury standards after disapproving Idaho's revision of those standards v...