[WEBINAR] Fairly (or Unfairly?) Traceable: Are Discharges Through Groundwater Subject to the Clean Water Act?
Companies that produce and discharge pollutants are subject to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) oversight under the Clean Water Act. The EPA routinely conducts inspections focused on federal laws like Oil Pollution...more
I'm surprised to see the Biden Administration EPA moving forward right now with a rule proposed during the Trump Administration to allow states to take over responsibility for the permitting of "dredge and fill" activities...more
On January 18, 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) and the Department of the Army published a new final rule to re-define “waters of the United States” (“WOTUS”) under the Federal Clean Water Act (“CWA”)....more
The United States Supreme Court (“SCourt”) issued an April 23rd decision in County of Maui, Hawaii v. Hawaii Wildlife Fund, et al. See No. 18-260. The case involves whether, and to what extent, a discharge of pollutants...more
The scope of the Clean Water Act (“CWA”) has vexed the courts and lead agencies for over a decade. In one of the most significant environmental cases this year, on February 19, 2019, the Supreme Court granted the petition for...more
Last month the Trump Administration announced a proposed rule that would dramatically reduce the scope of federal authority under the Clean Water Act (“Act”). If finalized in its current form, the rule would eliminate federal...more
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) and Fraticelli Oil Company (“FOC”) entered into an April 23rd Expedited Settlement Agreement (“ESA”) for alleged violation of Section 311(b)(3) of the Clean Water Act....more
A trilogy of recent federal and state enforcement actions show just how far agencies will go to enforce environmental regulations. Now may be a good time for a compliance audit....more
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) and D.R. Horton, Inc., (“DRHI”) entered into an August 17th Consent Agreement and Final Order (“CA”) addressing alleged violations of Section 404 of the Clean Water...more
Have one or several playa lakes on or near a well pad in the Permian Basin? An access road nearby an ephemeral tributary of the Green River in the Uintah Basin? A pipeline that traverses lands dotted with prairie potholes in...more
While advances in hydraulic fracturing technology have resulted in an oil and gas boom in North Dakota and other parts of the U.S., the industry, federal and state regulators, and local communities have also had to contend...more