News & Analysis as of

Clean Water Act › Statutory Interpretation

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

ArentFox Schiff on

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

Tonkon Torp LLP

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

Tonkon Torp LLP on

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

Stoel Rives LLP

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

Stoel Rives LLP on

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)

Beveridge & Diamond PC on

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

K&L Gates LLP

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

K&L Gates LLP on

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

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

Agricultural Nutrient Pollution/State of New York Supreme Court (County of Albany) Addresses Whether Department of Health Can...

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

The State of New York Supreme Court/County of Albany (“Court”) addressed in a May 6th Order whether the New York State Department of Health (“DOH”) has the authority to issue Watershed Rules and Regulations (“Rules”) to...more

Greenberg Glusker LLP

Supreme Court Narrows EPA’s Authority to Set Limitations in Clean Water Act Permits

Greenberg Glusker LLP on

On March 4, 2025, the Supreme Court issued its opinion in City and County of San Francisco v. Environmental Protection Agency, holding that EPA does not have the authority to issue “end-result” requirements in National...more

Nossaman LLP

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

Nossaman LLP on

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

Beveridge & Diamond PC on

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

Troutman Pepper Locke

To Waive or Not to Waive? That Is the 401 Question

Troutman Pepper Locke on

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit on May 16, 2025, clarified the conditions under which a state waives its Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 401 water quality certification (WQC) authority. In Village of Morrisville...more

Miller Starr Regalia

The Federal Clean Water Act In 2025: A Retracting Construction

Miller Starr Regalia on

More than 50 years ago, the Federal Clean Water Act (CWA or Act) was enacted by Congress to protect the quality of the Nation’s waters. The scope of that protection has been evolving ever since. Until relatively recently, the...more

Bricker Graydon LLP

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

Bricker Graydon LLP on

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

Troutman Pepper Locke

White House Issues Memorandum Directing Federal Agencies to Repeal Regulations Deemed to be Unlawful Pursuant to Recent U.S....

Troutman Pepper Locke on

On April 9, the White House issued a memorandum directing federal executive departments and agencies to repeal regulations deemed unlawful pursuant to certain U.S. Supreme Court decisions. This directive aims to address...more

Williams Mullen

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

Williams Mullen on

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

Dickinson Wright on

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

Beveridge & Diamond PC

B&D, City and County of San Francisco Secure U.S. Supreme Court Win on Major Clean Water Act Issue

Beveridge & Diamond PC on

On March 4, the City and County of San Francisco and a Beveridge & Diamond (B&D) team led by Principal Drew Silton (Washington, DC), secured a significant victory in the U.S. Supreme Court in City and County of San Francisco...more

Perkins Coie

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

Perkins Coie on

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

Morgan Lewis

In Yet Another Decision Restricting EPA Authority, US Supreme Court Holds EPA Cannot Set CWA Permit Limits

Morgan Lewis on

The US Supreme Court held in City and County of San Francisco v. EPA that the US Environmental Protection Agency lacks authority under the Clean Water Act to include “end-result” limitations in National Pollutant Discharge...more

Jones Day

U.S. Supreme Court Limits EPA Clean Water Act Permitting Authority

Jones Day on

On March 4, 2025, the Supreme Court of the United States issued its decision in City & County of San Francisco v. Environmental Protection Agency and clarified the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's ("EPA") and state...more

Kelley Drye & Warren LLP

Supreme Court Strikes Down ​“End-Result” Requirements in NPDES Permits

Kelley Drye & Warren LLP on

On March 4, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling that prohibits the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA” or ​“the Agency”) from setting qualitative limits based on the condition of the ​“receiving waters” that...more

Venable LLP

Textualism Is More Than Dictionaries: The Supreme Court's Latest Clean Water Act Decision Looks to History and Context

Venable LLP on

When it rains too much in San Francisco, the city's wastewater treatment plant can get overloaded. An overloaded wastewater treatment plant means that a city-operated, EPA-permitted point source in the Pacific Ocean could...more

McGlinchey Stafford

SCOTUS Rolls Back EPA’s Permitting Authority under the CWA

McGlinchey Stafford on

On March 4, 2025, the United States Supreme Court issued its ruling in City and County of San Francisco v. Environmental Protection Agency, limiting the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s permitting authority under...more

ArentFox Schiff

A Divided SCOTUS Invalidates Common Provisions of Clean Water Act Permits

ArentFox Schiff on

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

Nossaman LLP

City and County of San Francisco vs. EPA: Implications for Clean Water Act Permittees

Nossaman LLP on

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

Jenner & Block

Client Alert: US Supreme Court Rules Against EPA in Clean Water Act Permitting Dispute

Jenner & Block on

The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the City and County of San Francisco in a case against the US Environmental Protection Agency involving the scope of the Clean Water Act. See City & Cty. of San Francisco v. Environmental...more

35 Results
 / 
View per page
Page: of 2
Next »

"My best business intelligence, in one easy email…"

Your first step to building a free, personalized, morning email brief covering pertinent authors and topics on JD Supra:
Sign up Log in
*By using the service, you signify your acceptance of JD Supra's Privacy Policy.
- hide
- hide