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California Water Law & Policy Reporter

February 2011

Volume 21, Number 5 February 2011

FEATURE ARTICLE

U.S. District Court Grants Water Users’ Challenge to Delta Smelt Biological Opinion—Finds Opinion and Its Restrictions on SWP and CVP Operations Unlawful by Hanspeter Walter, Kronick Moskovitz Tiedemann 127

CALIFORNIA WATER NEWS

U.S. and Mexico Agree to Temporarily Store Mexico’s Colorado River Water in Lake Mead133

Navajo Nation Water Rights Settlement Paves Way for Additional Diversions From Major Colorado River Tributary134

Delta Science Program Panel Issues Final Report on 2010 Operations Criteria and Plan135

Woodland-Davis Clean Water Agency Approves Agreement to Buy Water Intake Facility and Permanent Water Rights137

REGULATORY DEVELOPMENTS

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Issues Final Rule Redesignating Critical Habitat for Santa Ana Sucker139

California State Water Resources Control Board Moves Forward with Environmental Review for ‘Wetland Area Protection Policy and Dredge and Fill Regulations’141

Delta Stewardship Council Releases White Papers on Delta and Seeks Input on Delta Plan Environmental Impact Report142

LAWSUITS FILED OR PENDING

Judge Wanger Declares 2008 Smelt Biological Opinion Unlawful144

City of Merced Continues to Fight Oil Companies for Contamination Caused by Underground Fuel Tank Leaching MTBE into Merced’s Groundwater

Supply147

RECENT FEDERAL DECISIONS

Circuit Court of Appeals:

Ninth Circuit Affirms Decision to Approve Expansion of Mine with Selenium Pollution in the Face of Clean Water Act, NEPA and National Forest Management Act Claims149

Greater Yellowstone Coalition v. Lewis, ___F.3d___, Case No. 09-35729 (9th Cir. Dec 23, 2010).

D.C. Circuit Defers to FERC’s Refusal to Impose Water Flow Conditions on PacifiCorp’s Operation of the Klamath Hydroelectric Project151

Hoopa Valley Tribe v. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, ___F.3d___, Case No. 09-1134, (D.C. Cir. Dec. 28, 2010).

RECENT CALIFORNIA DECISIONS

District Court of Appeal:

Fourth District Holds Regional Water Board Has No Duty to Revise Basin Plan During Triennial Review and May Base Water Quality Objectives on ‘Potential’ Beneficial Uses153

City of Arcadia v. State Water Resources Control Board, ___Cal.App.4th___, Case No. G041545 2010 (4th Dist. Dec. 14, 2010).