The U.S. Supreme Court today upended a 40-year-old decision that made it easier for the federal government to regulate the environment, public health, workplace safety, and consumer protections, delivering a far-reaching and...more
7/1/2024
/ Air Pollution ,
California ,
Chevron Deference ,
Climate Change ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
PFAS ,
Railways ,
SCOTUS ,
Toxic Exposure ,
Well Drilling
The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to consider whether federal and state agencies must clearly define limits on wastewater pollution when issuing discharge permits. The high court took up the City of San Francisco’s...more
6/3/2024
/ Activist ,
Biden Administration ,
California ,
Carbon Emissions ,
Clean Water Act ,
Climate Change ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Habitat Conservation Plan ,
Oil & Gas ,
Plastics ,
SCOTUS ,
US Fish and Wildlife Service ,
Wastewater
During arguments on Wednesday in the most significant environmental dispute before the U.S. Supreme Court this year, the Court's conservative justices expressed skepticism over the Environmental Protection Agency's efforts to...more
2/26/2024
/ Board of Supervisors ,
California ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Exxon Mobil ,
Farmers ,
Gold ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Mining ,
Pipelines ,
Radioactive Drilling Waste ,
SCOTUS ,
Waste ,
Water
3M announced on Thursday that it has reached a $10.3 billion settlement with many U.S. public water systems to resolve water pollution claims tied to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as “PFAS.”...more
The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday narrowed the scope of the 1972 Clean Water Act by ruling that an Idaho couple's property does not include wetlands subject to federal oversight under the law. The decision in Sackett v. EPA...more
5/31/2023
/ CARB ,
Clean Energy ,
Electric Vehicles ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Hydropower ,
Oil & Gas ,
PFAS ,
Sackett v EPA ,
SCOTUS ,
Well Drilling ,
Wetlands
Supreme Court restricts EPA's authority to mandate carbon emissions reductions - Associated Press - June 30 - In a blow to the fight against climate change, the Supreme Court on Thursday limited the extent of the U.S....more
7/5/2022
/ California ,
California Air Resources Board ,
Carbon Capture and Sequestration ,
Clean Air Act ,
Clean Power Plan ,
Drinking Water ,
Drought ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Governor Newsom ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Regulatory Authority ,
SCOTUS ,
Water Supplies ,
Wealth Tax ,
West Virginia v EPA
In last year’s Land Use, Environmental & Natural Resources Update 2021 Update, we reported on the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in County of Maui v. Hawai’i Wildlife Fund (County of Maui), 590 U.S. __; 140 S. Ct. 2778 (2020),...more
Clean Water Act covers some groundwater discharges, U.S. Supreme Court rules -
The New York Times – April 23 -
The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday ruled in a 6-3 decision that federal Clean Water Act (CWA) jurisdiction...more
4/24/2020
/ Atlantic Richfield Co v Christian ,
California Endangered Species Act ,
CERCLA ,
Clean Water Act ,
Direct Discharge ,
Discharge of Pollutants ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Federal Jurisdiction ,
Functional Equivalent ,
Hawaii Wildlife Fund v County of Maui ,
Navigable Waters ,
Permits ,
Point Sources ,
Remand ,
SCOTUS ,
Superfund ,
Vacated ,
Waters of the United States
Focus -
U.S. Supreme Court leans toward disallowing private party remedy claims in Montana Superfund case -
Reuters – December 3 -
U.S. Supreme Court justices this Tuesday appeared inclined to shield a unit of BP Plc, a...more
Focus -
Supreme Court takes case that could limit scope of Clean Water Act -
Reuters - February 19 -
The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to hear an appeal that could resolve the question of whether the Clean...more
Focus -
U.S. to ease oil drilling controls protecting imperiled bird -
ASSOCIATED PRESS - Dec 6 Land management documents released by the U.S. Interior Department show the Trump administration intends to open...more
Focus -
Supreme Court deals a setback to the endangered dusky gopher frog -
WASHINGTON POST - Nov 27 The Supreme Court on Tuesday delivered a unanimous win to property owners contesting the government's designation of...more
Focus -
Automakers fight Trump administration’s auto emissions rollback proposal -
THE HILL - Oct 29 Major automakers are pushing the Trump administration to abandon its plan – dubbed the Safer Affordable Fuel Efficient...more
Focus -
President Trump orders expedited review of Delta water regulations -
SACRAMENTO BEE - Oct 21 President Donald Trump last Friday signed a memorandum directing federal officials to review a broad swath of water...more
Focus -
Supreme Court deals final blow to lead paint manufacturers' years-long effort to avoid cleanup costs -
LOS ANGELES TIMES - Oct 15 The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday refused to review California state court rulings...more
Focus -
U.S. Supreme Court declines appeal in California beach access suit over Martins Beach -
REUTERS - Oct 1 The U.S. Supreme Court handed a victory to proponents of open access to California’s coastline on Monday,...more
Focus -
EPA Region 9 Administrator position reportedly to be filled by lawyer -
THE HILL - Apr 30 Michael Stoker, a former Republican Santa Barbara County supervisor and agriculture attorney, will soon be appointed...more
Focus -
Supreme Court moves closer to taking Martins Beach case -
THE MERCURY NEWS - Apr 24 In the first sign that the U.S. Supreme Court might hear an appeal regarding a private property owner’s attempt to block the...more
Focus -
U.S. Supreme Court lets stand EPA's permit exemption for water transfers -
Reuters - Feb 26 The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday unanimously declined to review a challenge led by states and environmental groups to a...more
Focus -
Supreme Court rules that WOTUS rule challenges should be heard by federal district courts -
The Hill - Jan 22 The Supreme Court unanimously ruled Monday that cases litigating the validity of an Obama-era...more
Focus -
Brown administration working to scale down $17 billion Delta tunnels project -
The Mercury News - Jan 12 Faced with a shortage of money and political support after seven years of work, Governor Jerry Brown’s...more
Focus -
Trump administration moves to expand oil and gas drilling off U.S. coasts -
Los Angeles Times - Jan 4 The Trump administration, inviting a political backlash from coastal state leaders, on Thursday proposed to...more
Environmental and Policy Focus -
Supreme Court rejects new challenge to EPA’s air pollution rule -
The Hill - Jun 13 -
The Supreme Court on Monday declined to consider a third request from a group of states to...more
6/20/2016
/ Air Pollution ,
Cap-and-Trade ,
Carbon Emissions ,
Coal-Fired Plants ,
Endangered Species ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Health and Safety ,
MATS ,
Mercury ,
Oil & Gas ,
Power Plants ,
SCOTUS ,
Water Pollution ,
Water Supplies
Environmental and Policy Focus -
U.S. Supreme Court allows pre-permit challenges to approved jurisdictional determinations -
Allen Matkins - May 31 -
In a major new legal development for the Clean Water Act's...more
6/6/2016
/ Administrative Appeals ,
Administrative Procedure Act ,
Clean Water Act ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Final Judgment ,
Hawkes Co v United States Army Corps of Engineers ,
Hydraulic Fracturing Study ,
Judicial Review ,
Jurisdictional Determination (JD) ,
Land Developers ,
Permits ,
Property Owners ,
SCOTUS ,
Section 404 ,
US Army Corps of Engineers ,
Water ,
Water Quality ,
Water Rights ,
Waters of the United States ,
Wetlands
Environmental and Policy Focus -
Justices suggest support for landowners in wetlands case -
Bloomberg - Mar 30 -
U.S. Supreme Court justices across the ideological spectrum signaled in oral argument this week...more
4/4/2016
/ Air Quality Standards ,
Clean Water Act ,
Cleanup Doctrine ,
Environmental Review ,
Farms ,
Groundwater ,
Hawkes Co v United States Army Corps of Engineers ,
Land Owners ,
Oil & Gas ,
SCOTUS ,
Water Resources Control Board ,
Wetlands