News & Analysis as of

Clean Water Act

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 -
Womble Bond Dickinson

United States Supreme Court Administrative Law Decisions of Note During the 2024-2025 Term

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In this update, we cover the most impactful Supreme Court cases related to administrative law issues decided during the 2024-2025 term. The Supreme Court decided important administrative law cases falling into these general...more

Nossaman LLP

What’s Up With WOTUS?

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The intricacies of the Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) definition continue to evolve, especially with recent changes initiated under the Trump administration and landmark clarifications from the Supreme Court's Sackett v. EPA...more

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

Holland & Hart LLP

Supreme Court Declines to Limit Environmental Citizen Suits

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On June 30, 2025, the Supreme Court denied industry group petitions to review and reverse two cases—one out of the Fifth Circuit and the other out of the Ninth Circuit—that could have significantly restricted the ability of...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

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

SPCC Enforcement/Clean Water Act: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Tupelo, Mississippi Oil Storage Facility Owner Enter...

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) Khera Petroleum, LLC (“KP”) entered into a June 11th Consent Agreement (“CA”) addressing alleged violations of the Clean Water Act Spill Prevention, Control, and...more

Tonkon Torp LLP

Oregon Department of State Lands Selects New Director

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The Oregon State Land Board – comprised of the Governor, Secretary of State, and State Treasurer – recently appointed Kaitlin Lovell of Colton, Oregon as the new Director of the Oregon Department of State Lands (DSL). Lovell...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

Foley Hoag LLP - Environmental Law

Superfund May Be Fundamentally Broken, But That Doesn't Mean that It Can't Be Improved

Because the risks posed by superfund sites pale in comparison to the risks posed by air pollution and broader water pollution issues regulated under the Clean Water Act, I have been and remain deeply skeptical of the Trump...more

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

Wastewater Enforcement: Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment - Division of Environmental Quality and City of Atkins Enter...

The Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment - Division of Environmental Quality (“DEQ”) and City of Atkins, Arkansas entered into a May 15th Consent Administrative Order (“CAO”) addressing alleged violations of a Clean...more

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

Pretreatment Enforcement: Mississippi Commission on Environmental Quality and Attala County Dairy Processing Facility Enter into...

The Mississippi Commission on Environmental Quality (“MCEQ”) and East Side Jersey Dairy Inc. (“ESJD”) entered into an April 30th Agreed Order (“AO”) addressing alleged violations of a Clean Water Act Pretreatment Permit...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

Clark Hill PLC

[Webinar] PFAS Primer for the Public Sector - July 16th, 11:00 am PT

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Addressing PFAS continues to challenge local government, water providers, and wastewater providers, particularly in a rapidly changing regulatory environment. Regulatory initiatives will have costly and widespread impacts on...more

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

Stormwater Enforcement: Mississippi Commission on Environmental Quality and Meridian Sand/Clay Mine Operator Enter into Agreed...

The Mississippi Commission on Environmental Quality (“MCEQ”) and Cullum Construction, LLC (“CC”) entered into a June 25th Agreed Order (“AO”) addressing alleged violations of a Clean Water Act Stormwater Permit. See Order No....more

Pierce Atwood LLP

Streamlining Environmental Permitting: MassReadyAct's Proposed Impact on Massachusetts Development

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On June 24, 2025, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey introduced a bill titled, "An Act to Build Resilience for Massachusetts Communities" (MassReadyAct), proposing nearly $3 billion in bond authorizations for financing...more

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

Citizen Suit Action/Clean Water Act: Two California Municipalities' Motion Alleges Spoilation of Laboratory Data by Environmental...

The Towns of Sunnyvale and Mountain View, California (collectively, “Cities”) filed a January 17th Pleading against San Francisco Baykeeper (“Baykeeper”) styled: Defendants’ Motion for Sanctions for Spoilation of...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

What the New Executive Order on “Fighting Overcriminalization in Federal Regulations” Means for Environmental Criminal Enforcement

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On May 9, 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order No. 14294, “Fighting Overcriminalization in Federal Regulations” (EO), which reinforces the administration’s deregulatory agenda. While sweeping in scope, the EO has...more

Vinson & Elkins LLP

Dredging Ahead: Army Corps Proposes to Reissue Nationwide Permits

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The federal government is continuing to implement President Donald Trump’s Unleashing American Energy mandate to promote domestic energy and infrastructure projects. On June 18, 2025, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers...more

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

Clean Water Act/U.S. House of Representatives: Association of Clean Water Administrators Identifies 14 Pending Bills

The Association of Clean Water Administrators (“ACWA”) has identified 14 bills proposing to amend the Clean Water Act pending in the United States House of Representatives. The bills are described in the ACWA publication...more

Allen Matkins

Beyond Sackett: California’s Expanding Role in Wetlands Permitting and the Future of “Waters of the State”

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California’s regulatory authority over “waters of the state” continues to grow even as the federal definition of “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS) narrows under shifting legal and regulatory frameworks. In Sackett v. EPA...more

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

Wastewater Enforcement: Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment - Division of Environmental Quality and Garland County...

The Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment - Division of Environmental Quality (“DEQ”) and Lakeside Gardens Horizontal Property Regime (“Lakeside”) entered into a February 4th Consent Administrative Order (“CAO”)...more

Allen Matkins

Citizen Suit Enforcement Under the Industrial General Permit: How Businesses Can Avoid Substantial Costs Associated with Notice...

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Each year, many California businesses receive letters from private entities, typically environmental nongovernmental organizations (Citizen Groups), alleging that those businesses’ facilities are in violation of applicable...more

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

2026 Multi-Sector General Permit for Industrial Stormwater Discharges: National Municipal Stormwater Alliance Comments Addressing...

The National Municipal Stormwater Alliance (“NMSA”) submitted April 4th comments to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) addressing the proposed Clean Water Act National Pollutant Discharge Elimination...more

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