Wed Jul 8th, On Environmental Law, Litigation, by Anna Viele
Earlier this week, U.S. District Judge James A. Boasberg ordered the Dakota Access pipeline to shut down and drain its oil (Standing Rock Sioux Tribe et al. v. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers et al.). The order gives the Dakota Access operators until August 5th to shut down the pipeline and drain it of all oil pending a review and Environmental Impact Statement (“EIS”) made by the Army Corps of […]
Tue Jul 7th, On Environmental Law, by Anna Viele
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plans to end its temporary policy that allowed for enforcement discretion in the enforcement of some types of violations in the context of COVID-19. On June 29, 2020, EPA gave notice that this policy will be terminated as of August 31, 2020, or possibly earlier. If the policy is terminated earlier than August 31, 2020, then seven days advance notice will be […]
Mon Jul 6th, On Environmental Law, Litigation, by Alan Bick
On June 18, 2020, in Stanford Vina Ranch Irrigation Company v. State of California et al., the Third District Court of Appeal affirmed the California State Water Resources Control Board’s (“State Water Board” or “Board”) authority to regulate what it considers “unreasonable use of water” through emergency regulations setting forth minimum instream flow requirements that protect endangered and threatened fish in times of severe drought. The Court also affirmed the […]
Fri Jun 26th, On Environmental Law, Litigation, by Kimberly Bick
In perhaps the most consequential environment and energy case heard by the Supreme Court this term, the justices overruled a decision by the Fourth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that the Forest Service did not have the power to authorize the Atlantic Coast Pipeline’s natural gas project to pass beneath the trail. In a 7-2 decision in United States Forest Service v. Cowpasture River Preservation Association, No. 18-1584 (June 15, […]
