ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS
New Jersey Waives Environmental Requirements to Speed Rebuilding of Public Infrastructure in Hurricane Sandy’s Aftermath—Environmental Groups Protest3
PENALTIES AND SANCTIONS
Recent Investigations, Settlements, Penalties and Sanctions5
RECENT FEDERAL DECISIONS
Circuit Court of Appeals:
Ninth Circuit Grants Review of Project Authorization Based on Unenforceable Conservation Measures8
Center for Biological Diversity v. U.S. Bureau of Land Management, ___F.3d___, Case Nos. 10-72356, 10-72552, 10-72762, 10-72768, 10-72775 (9th Cir. Oct. 22, 2012).
Eleventh Circuit Finds It Does Not Have Original Jurisdiction over EPA Rules Granting General Permitting Exemptions under the CWA9
Friends of the Everglades v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, ___F.3d___, Case No. 08-13652 (11th Cir. Oct. 26, 2012).
District Court:
District Court Finds Manufacturer’s Knowledge of PCB-Leaking Railcar Transformers an Insufficient Basis to Impose Arranger Liability under
CERCLA11
American Premier Underwriters Inc. v. General Electric Co., ___F.Supp.2d___, Case No. 1:05cv437 (S.D. Ohio Sept. 30, 2012).
District Court Denies Request in Clean Water Act/RCRA Case to Commence Discovery While Motion to Dismiss Is Pending13
Apalachicola Riverkeeper v. Taylor Energy Co., LLC, ___F.Supp.2d___, Case No. 12-0337 (E.D. La. Oct. 2, 2012).
District Court Finds Pennsylvania State Common Law Causes of Action Are Preempted by Federal Regulations under the Clean Air Act15
Bell v. Cheswick Generating Station, ___F.Supp.2d___, Case Nos. 2:12-cv-929 (W.D. Penn. Oct. 12, 2012).
District Court Gives Its Blessing to Settlement in Syngenta Class Action Suit Alleging Contamination of Water with Herbicide Atrazine16
City of Greenville v. Syngenta Crop Protection, Inc., ___F.Supp.2d___, Case No. 3:10-cv-00188-JPG-PMF (S.D. Ill. Oct. 23, 2012).
District Court Finds City’s Claims against Dry Cleaning Equipment Manufacturer Untimely under CERCLA’s Discovery Rule18
Lewis v. Russell, ___F.Supp.2d___, Case No. 2:03-2646 (E.D. Cal. Oct. 3, 2012).
District Court Holds that under State Law, an Insurer’s Pollution Exclusion Language Is Ambiguous Because it Fails to Explicitly Reference TCE20
State Automobile Insurance Company v. DMY Realty Company, LLP, ___F.Supp.2d___, Case No. 49A05-1109-PL-486 (D. Ind. Oct. 23, 2012).
District Court Finds Contractor Not Liable for CERCLA Cleanup Costs by Sufficiently Broad Clause of Contract that Predated CERCLA Enactment23
U.S. v. ConocoPhillips Company, ___F.Supp.2d___, Case No. W-11-CV-167 (W.D. Tx. Sept. 30, 2012).
RECENT STATE DECISIONS
California Court Finds Indirect Discharge through Ephemeral Drainages Violates the Clean Water Act—Even if Drainages Not ‘Waters of the United
States’26
Garland v. Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board, California, ___Cal.App.4th___, Case No. C067130 (Cal. App. filed Oct. 24, 2012).
