FEATURE ARTICLE
U.S. Supreme Court to Weigh in on Decades Old Debate As to Whether Discharges of Pollutants to Groundwater Hydrologically Connected to Surface Waters Require a Clean Water Act Permit by Nicole E. Granquist, Esq. and Meghan Quinn, Esq., Downey Brand, LLP, California231
CALIFORNIA WATER NEWS
Governor Newsom Issues Executive Order for a State Water Policy
Reboot237
Early Release of Aggressive Groundwater Sustainability Plan for Critically
Overdrafted Borrego Basin Sets Stage for SGMA Implementation238
Imperial Irrigation District Proposes Easement Agreement Related to Salton Sea Habitat Restoration241
LEGISLATIVE DEVELOPMENTS
California Assembly Bill 658 Seeks Groundwater Storage to Be a ‘Beneficial Use’243
REGULATORY DEVELOPMENTS
EPA Issues Interpretive Statement on Application of the Clean Water Act to Point Source Discharges to Groundwater245
California Department of Water Resources Announces Phase 2 Draft Basin Prioritization247
California State Water Board Releases New Information and Resources to Assist with SGMA Implementation248
LAWSUITS FILED OR PENDING
Superior Court Coordinates Eleven Cases Challenging the State Water Resources Control Board’s Approval of Amendments to the Bay-Delta
Plan252
RECENT FEDERAL DECISIONS
Circuit Court of Appeals:
Ninth Circuit Revives Environmental Groups’ NEPA Challenge to Department of Agriculture’s Gray Wolf Killing Policy254
Western Watersheds Project et al. v. Todd Grimm et al., ___F.3d___, Case No. 18-35075 (9th Cir. Apr. 23, 2019).
District Court:
District Court Finds Federal Government Waived Sovereign Immunity for Negligent Responses to Flint Water Crisis256
Burgess v. United States, ___F.Supp.3d___, Case Nos. 17-11218, 18-10243 (E.D. Mich. Apr. 18, 2019).
