Eastern Water Law & Policy Reporter

WATER NEWS AND DEVELOPMENTS

President Trump Signs Executive Orders to Advance the Keystone XL and Dakota Access Pipelines31

Iowa’s Civil Water Wars Highlight the Mississippi Basin Water Quality Challenge32

News from the West34

PENALTIES AND SANCTIONS

Recent Investigations, Settlements, Penalties and Sanctions38

REGULATORY DEVELOPMENTS

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Seeks Greater Influence with New Endangered Species Act Compensatory Mitigation Policy41

JUDICIAL DEVELOPMENTS

Federal:

Tenth Circuit Holds Asarco’s Settlement Representations Not an Admission Contradicting Its CERCLA Contribution Claim43

Asarco, LLC v. Noranda Mining Co., ___F.3d___, Case No. 16-4045 (10th Cir. Jan. 3, 2017).

Second Circuit Joins the Eleventh Circuit in Upholding EPA’s ‘Water Transfers Rule’45

Catskill Mountains Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Inc. v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, ___F.3d___, Case No. 14-1823 (2nd Cir. Jan. 18, 2017).

Climate Scientist’s Defamation Claims Survive Early Dismissal Motion at the D.C. Circuit Based on Anti-Slapp Statute47

Competitive Enterprise Institute v. Mann, ___F.3d___, Case No. 14-CV-101 (D.C. Cir. Dec. 22, 2016).

Fourth Circuit Holds Federal Clean Water Act Permit Does Not Shield Permittee from Liability for Violation of State Water Quality Standards50

Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition v. Fola Coal Co., LLC, ___F.3d___, Case No. 16-1024 (4th Cir. Jan. 4, 2017).

District Court Holds Drain Assessment Costs Imposed to Address Groundwater Contamination May Constitute CERCLA ‘Response Costs’52

Charter Township of Lansing and Lansing Township Downtown Development Authority v. Lansing Board of Water and Light, ___F.Supp.3d___, Case No. 1:14—cv-515 (W.D. MI. Jan. 6, 2017).