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Clean Water Act › Environmental Litigation › Supreme Court of the United States

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 -
ArentFox Schiff

Top 3 Supreme Court Environmental and Administrative Trends of 2025

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Within this term, the US Supreme Court’s major environmental and administrative focus was on statutory text in its environmental and administrative decisions....more

McGlinchey Stafford

Supreme Court’s Cert Denials Pave Way for Surge in Environmental Citizen Suits

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In a significant victory for environmental advocacy groups, the Supreme Court’s refusal on June 30, 2025 to grant certiorari in two pivotal cases (Port of Tacoma, et al. v. Puget Soundkeeper Alliance and ExxonMobil Corp., et...more

Tonkon Torp LLP

U.S. Supreme Court Limits EPA Discretion in Landmark NPDES Permit Decision

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The Supreme Court’s recent decision in City and County of San Francisco v. Environmental Protection Agency, (EPA) 604 U.S. ____ (2025) significantly alters the regulatory landscape for NPDES permits under the Clean Water Act...more

K&L Gates LLP

Course Correction: Supreme Court Steers Toward Greater Predictability in NEPA Reviews

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On 29 May 2025, the Supreme Court unanimously declared that a “course correction” was needed for cases under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), holding that a law originally meant to be a procedural check to inform...more

Allen Matkins

California Environmental Law & Policy Update 6.6.25

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On May 29, 2025, the Supreme Court held that the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) — which requires federal agencies to analyze the environmental impacts of projects that they perform, fund, or approve — does not...more

Nossaman LLP

The End of “End-Result” Permit Limitations in Clean Water Act Permits

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On March 4, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its opinion in the case City and County of San Francisco v. Environmental Protection Agency, in which it held that “end-result” requirements routinely imposed by the U.S....more

Beveridge & Diamond PC

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

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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

Nossaman LLP

Rewriting the Rules: The Supreme Court's Landmark Decision on Clean Water Act Permits

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In this episode of Digging Into Land Use Law, Byron Gee, Willis Hon and Sara Johnson review in detail the recent Supreme Court opinion in City and County of San Francisco vs. EPA and its implications for Clean Water Act...more

Bricker Graydon LLP

Supreme Court Limits EPA Permitting Authority in City and County of San Fran v. US EPA

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On March 4, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a 5-4 opinion in City and County of San Francisco v. Environmental Protection Agency, holding that “end-result” requirements routinely imposed by the EPA in NPDES permits issued...more

Williams Mullen

Clean Water Act: The End of “End-Result” Permitting

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The Supreme Court of the United States’ recent Clean Water Act decision in City of San Francisco v. EPA has sent shockwaves through the environmental community by prohibiting EPA and state agencies’ common practice of...more

Dickinson Wright

Supreme Court Limits EPA's Power Over NPDES Water Permits

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In a much-anticipated decision, the U.S. Supreme Court significantly narrowed the EPA's authority under the Clean Water Act (CWA) to impose so-called "end-result" requirements in NPDES permits. These "end-result" requirements...more

Perkins Coie

San Francisco v. EPA: Supreme Court Decides Clean Water Act Permits May Not Include Receiving Water Limits

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In City and County of San Francisco v. Environmental Protection Agency, 604 U.S. ___, 145 S. Ct. 704 (2025), in a 5-4 decision issued on March 4, the Supreme Court of the United States struck down two provisions in San...more

Bracewell LLP

EPA and the Army Make More Waves on WOTUS

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On March 12, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army took steps to address lingering questions about the meaning and implementation of “waters of the United States” (WOTUS)...more

Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck

Supreme Court Makes Waves In San Francisco Ruling

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When the Supreme Court issued its decision in City & County of San Francisco v. EPA on March 4, 2025, it may have saved San Francisco $10 billion dollars in penalties sought by the United States Environmental Protection...more

Holland & Hart LLP

Supreme Court Invalidates "End-Result" Provisions in Clean Water Act Discharge Permits

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The U.S. Supreme Court last week, in a 5-4 decision, held that discharge permit “end-result” requirements—those that make a permittee responsible for the quality of the receiving water into which the permittee discharges—are...more

ArentFox Schiff

A Divided SCOTUS Invalidates Common Provisions of Clean Water Act Permits

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In the US Supreme Court’s first post-Chevron decision involving the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) the Supreme Court found against EPA, invalidating ‘end result’ NPDES permit requirements....more

Stinson LLP

Supreme Court Rules for Permit Holders on Age-Old CWA Dispute

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In a 5-4 ruling on March 4, the U.S. Supreme Court held that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lacks authority to impose Clean Water Act (CWA) conditions in National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)...more

Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP

Supreme Court Decides City and County of San Francisco, California v. Environmental Protection Agency

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On March 3, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court decided City and County of San Francisco, California v. Environmental Protection Agency, No. 23-753, holding that Section 1311(b)(1)(A) of the Clean Water Act does not authorize the...more

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

Waters of the United States/Clean Water Act: Federal Appellate Court Addresses Jurisdictional Challenge

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The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (“Fifth Circuit”) addressed in a December 18, 2023, Consolidated Opinion whether certain Louisiana wetlands were subject to Clean Water Act jurisdiction. See Lewis v....more

Foley Hoag LLP - Environmental Law

Post-Sackett, Who Will Speak for the Clean Water Act?

Foley Hoag LLP - Environmental Law on

Earlier this month, in Lewis v. United States the 5th Circuit issued a decision interpreting the Supreme Court’s decision in Sackett v. EPA. The 5th Circuit decision is a model of clarity and demonstrates what I’ll call the...more

Mintz

Now a Federal Judge in Louisiana will determine the validity of EPA's interpretation of Section 401 of the Clean Water Act

Mintz on

When EPA published its most recent rule specifying the role of States and Tribes in the Federal permitting of discharges into Waters of the United States, I predicted it was only a matter of time before we'd see another...more

Meyers Nave

Sackett v. EPA: What Lies Ahead for Water Regulation and Wetland Protection?

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On May 25, 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court reversed the Ninth Circuit’s decision in the Sackett v. EPA case in favor of the Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) and instead held that the Clean Water Act (“CWA”) only protects...more

Harris Beach Murtha PLLC

U.S. Supreme Court Limits Scope of Regulated Wetlands

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On May 23, 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court finally issued its decision in Sackett v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which significantly rolls back the scope of wetlands the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) and...more

Keating Muething & Klekamp PLL

U.S. Supreme Court Limits Clean Water Act’s Reach Over Wetlands

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On May 25, 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its long-anticipated decision in Sackett v. EPA, a case involving homeowners who filled private residential property in order to build a home. All nine justices agreed the...more

Pillsbury - Gravel2Gavel Construction & Real...

New Case Law Update: Mountain Valleys, Chevron Deference and a Long-Awaited Resolution on the Sacketts’ Small Lot

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This is a brief roundup of recent federal court environmental and regulatory law decisions from the federal courts over the past few months, including the much anticipated ruling in Sackett, et ux., v, Environmental...more

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