FEATURE ARTICLE
Rise of the Responsible Agencies: California Environmental Quality Act Compliance in a Regional Focused Environment by Kristina Daniel Lawson, Miller Starr Regalia, Walnut Creek, California191
REGULATORY DEVELOPMENTS
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Finds that Sand Verbena Moth May Warrant Listing under the Endangered Species Act196
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Releases Draft Guidelines for Siting Wind Energy Projects197
South Coast Air Quality Management District Releases New Model for
Estimating Air Emissions Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act199
LAWSUITS FILED OR PENDING
State of Alaska Sues U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to Overturn Endangered Species Act Designation of Critical Habitat for the Polar Bear201
RECENT FEDERAL DECISIONS
Circuit Court of Appeals:
Ninth Circuit Finds Landowner Has Standing to Challenge EPA’s Designation of Impaired Water Bodies under § 303(d) of the Clean Water Act203
Barnum Timber Co. v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, ___F.3d___, Case No. 08-17715 (9th Cir. Feb. 3, 2011).
Ninth Circuit Rejects Claim that Funding Decision to Support Rail Projects Is Racially Discriminatory205
Darensburg v. Metropolitan Transportation Commission, ___F.3d___, Case No. (9th Cir. 2011).
Ninth Circuit Finds Facially Neutral Zoning Regulations May Result in a ‘Substantial Burden’ on Religious Uses under Religious Land Use Act206
International Church of the Foursquare Gospel v. City of San Leandro, ___F.3d___, Case No. 09-15163 (9th Cir. Feb. 15, 2011)
Ninth Circuit Finds U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Is Not Compelled to Share Sensitive Security Information in a Proceeding under NEPA208
San Luis Obispo Mothers for Peace v. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, ___F.3d___, Case No. 08-75058 (9th Cir. Feb. 15, 2011).
District Court:
District Court Orders Limited Vacatur of 2006 Western Mojave Management Plan and Requires BLM to Complete NEPA and FLPMA Analyses209
Center for Biological Diversity v. U.S. Bureau of Land Management, ___F.Supp.2d___, Case No CV08-5646 (N.D. Cal. 2011).
Two U.S. District Courts in California Uphold Local Agencies’ Authority to Deny Permits for Wireless Communication Facilities212
T-Mobile West Corporation v. City and County of San Francisco, ___F.Supp.2d___ (N.D. Cal. Feb. 14. 2011); NextG Networks of California v. City of Newport Beach, ___F.Supp.2d___(S.D. Cal. Feb. 18, 2011).
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE215
