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News Articles

U.S. Supreme Court Rules Major Questions Doctrine Prohibits Broad Delegation of Congressional Authority to Regulate Greenhouse Gas Emissions Systems

By Deborah Quick, Esq. and Lucille Flinchbaugh, Esq. The United States Supreme Court has considered whether the “best system of emission reduction” identified by the…

Read More 2022-09-27

California State Water Resources Control Board Proposes Emergency Regulations for Russian River Watershed

By Miles Krieger and Steve Anderson   In May 2002, the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) readopted emergency regulations authorizing the board…

Read More 2022-06-16

California State Water Resources Control Board Adopts Emergency Drought Regulations Pursuant to Executive Order

By Byrin Romney and Derek Hoffman   California continues to battle worsening drought conditions through regulations designed to reduce water use throughout the state. On…

Read More 2022-06-16

Ninth Circuit Finds Forest Service Failed to Explain How Project Complied with the Roadless Area Conservation Rule

By James Purvis The State of Alaska and Safari Club International (a hunting organization) filed suits under various federal statutes against the Secretary of the…

Read More 2022-06-16

California Court of Appeal Holds City’s Ban on Short-Term Rentals in Coastal Zone Constituted An Amendment Requiring Coastal Commission Approval

By Bridget McDonald In an April 6, 2022 published decision, the Second District Court of Appeal upheld a trial court order enjoining the City of Manhattan…

Read More 2022-06-16

Ninth Circuit Rules Clean Water Act Water Quality Objectives Are Not Directly Applicable to Nonpoint Source Dischargers

By Helen Byrens and Rebecca Andrews The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit recently granted a summary judgment affirming that the government had…

Read More 2022-06-16

EPA Takes Three Major Steps Towards Regulating PFAS Compounds Through the Clean Water Act NPDES Permit Program

By Meghan Quinn and Darrin Gambelin On April 28, 2022 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced three actions related to the regulation of the per-…

Read More 2022-06-16

California Supreme Court Finds Issue Exhaustion Is Not a Prerequisite to Seeking Judicial Review of Business Improvement District Assessments Under Proposition 218

By Bridget McDonald The California Supreme Court in Hill RHF Housing Partners, L.P. v. City of Los Angeles reversed the Second District Court of Appeal’s…

Read More 2022-03-01

California Court of Appeal Finds City Did Not Violate CEQA By Failing to Summarize Revisions to Previously Circulated Programmatic EIR In Recirculated Draft

By Bridget McDonald In the partially published opinion the Fourth District Court of Appeal held, for the first time, that the City of San Diego…

Read More 2022-03-01

Colorado Supreme Court Affirms Water Court’s Jurisdiction over Dispute Involving Land Developer’s Alleged Ditch Modifications

By John Sittler, Esq., and Jason Groves, Esq. On November 15, 2021, the Colorado Supreme Court upheld the Division 1 Water Court’s decision in a…

Read More 2022-03-01