News & Analysis as of

Clean Water Act Environmental Litigation Appeals

The Clean Water Act is a United States federal statute enacted in 1972 to reduce levels of toxic substances in the nation's water supply and to prevent high levels of new contamination.  The CWA seeks to... more +
The Clean Water Act is a United States federal statute enacted in 1972 to reduce levels of toxic substances in the nation's water supply and to prevent high levels of new contamination.  The CWA seeks to accomplish its stated goals by preventing point and nonpoint pollution sources, assisting wastewater treatment facilities and maintaining wetlands. less -
Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard,...

Flood Project Challenge/Clean Water Act/National Environmental Policy Act: Federal Appellate Court Addresses Standing Issue

The United States Circuit Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (“Fifth Circuit”) addressed in a December 24th, 2024 Opinion a challenge to a United States Army Corps of Engineers (“Corps”) project alleging violations of the...more

Stoel Rives LLP

Recent Ninth Circuit Decision Suggests Effluent Limitation Guidelines Across Multiple Industry Categories May Be Changing Soon

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In its recent decision in Waterkeeper Alliance v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, No. 23-636 (9th Cir. June 18, 2025), the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals held that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) failed to...more

Beveridge & Diamond PC

Clean Water Act Citizen Suits in the Spotlight: Solicitor General Calls for Supreme Court Review (Updated)

This alert was originally published on June 3, 2025, and has been revised based on recent developments. Update: On June 30, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court denied certiorari Port of Tacoma v. Puget Soundkeeper Alliance, No....more

Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard,...

Underground Injection Control: U.S. EPA Environmental Appeals Board Petition for Review Filed Challenging Three Michigan Brine...

Flow Water Advocates (“FWA”) filed a pleading before the United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) Environmental Appeals Board styled: PETITION FOR REVIEW OF UNDERGROUND INJECTION CONTROL PERMITS ISSUED AND...more

Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard,...

Effluent Guidelines/Clean Water Act: Federal Appellate Court Addresses Argument that United States Environmental Protection Agency...

The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (“Ninth Circuit”) addressed in a June 18th Opinion an issue involving the Clean Water Act Effluent Limit Guidelines (“ELGs”). See Waterkeeper Alliance, et al., v....more

Beveridge & Diamond PC

Clean Water Act Citizen Suits in the Spotlight: Solicitor General Calls for Supreme Court Review

Key Takeaways - Federal citizen suits are likely to become more frequent as the federal government decreases its enforcement efforts. Federal courts are split on whether Clean Water Act (CWA) citizen suits can enforce...more

Foley Hoag LLP - Environmental Law

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Really Doesn't Want to Decide Who Has Standing to Bring CAA Penalty Claims

Earlier this week, in what almost certainly has to be the most fractured appellate decision in the history of the United States courts, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, sitting en banc, affirmed via per curiam decision the...more

Foley Hoag LLP - Environmental Law

Does EPA Have Authority to Include Narrative Criteria in NPDES Permits? Yes, For Now.

Earlier this week, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed EPA’s NPDES permit issued to San Francisco’s Oceanside sewer system. San Francisco had challenged the permit on the ground that EPA does not have authority to...more

Mintz

Waters of the United States and Winston Churchill

Mintz on

Sir Winston Churchill famously said "those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” Of course he didn't have the nearly four decade long controversy over the reach of the Federal Clean Water Act in mind but...more

Foley Hoag LLP - Environmental Law

Sometimes the Law Really Is Unambiguous — Clean Water Act Edition

Last week, the First Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that a person who enters into an administrative settlement with a state is immune from citizen suits seeking civil penalties, but not immune from suits for declaratory or...more

Holland & Hart LLP

More Uncertainty Ahead – WOTUS, SCOTUS and What it Means for Your Project

Holland & Hart LLP on

Since 2015, jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act (CWA or the Act) has been in a near constant state of flux, creating a challenging regulatory landscape for project developers and the regulatory community. The last few...more

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP

Contract Language Matters, Even to Uncle Sam - Construction and Procurement Law News, Q1 2021

No one can escape the basic rules of contracting, even the federal government. If the contract is clear and unambiguous, then the four corners of the agreement set the rules for the project and the parties – and there’s not...more

Bracewell LLP

Changes to Expect in Environmental Litigation Under Biden

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One thing is certain about 2021 – environmental and natural resources-related litigation against the federal government will continue apace and it will impact a range of private projects that require federal authorization of...more

Best Best & Krieger LLP

[WEBINAR] Fairly (or Unfairly?) Traceable: Are Discharges Through Groundwater Subject to the Clean Water Act?

A recent decision by the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals (Hawai'i Wildlife Fund v. County of Maui) created a new standard for permitting under the Clean Water Act — one that captures discharges from point sources through...more

Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP

Environmental Litigation and Toxic Torts Update – Mountain/West Coast Case Law Highlights

Ninth Circuit Finds “Threatened” Designation For Bearded Seals Proper Based On New Long-Term Projections - Alaska Oil and Gas Ass’n et al. v. Pritzker et al., 840 F.3d 671, 2016 U.S. App. LEXIS 19084 (9th Cir. 2016)....more

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP

Environmental Case Law Update

“Summer’s lease hath all too short a date.” Many important environmental and administrative law decisions were reported by the federal and state courts over the past six months. The courts are dealing with very...more

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