ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS
California’s Targets Short-Lived Climate Pollutants in Next Phase of Attack on Climate Change183
Environmental Groups Bring Federal Clean Water Act Suit against EPA Officials Alleging Failure to Review Changes to Water Quality Stan-
dards185
PENALTIES AND SANCTIONS
Recent Investigations, Settlements, Penalties and Sanctions187
RECENT FEDERAL DECISIONS
Circuit Court of Appeals:
D.C. Circuit Finds States Lacks Standing to Challenge EPA’s Clean Air Act Vehicle Emissions Model190
State of Kansas et al. v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Unpub. Dec., Case No. 14-1268 (D.C. Cir. Apr. 15, 2016)
District Court:
District Court Grants Motion for Reconsideration Bringing Defendant Back into MTBE Contaminated Groundwater Litigation Years after Initial Dismissal191
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico v. Shell Oil Co., ___F.Supp.3d___, Case No. 1:07-cv-10470 (S.D. N.Y. Apr. 15, 2016).
District Court Holds the Clean Water Act Does Not Preempt EPA’s Ability to Withhold Production of Confidential Business Information193
Environmental Integrity Project v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, ___F.Supp.3d___, Case No. 14-1282 (JEB) (D. D.C. Mar. 29, 2016).
Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation Denies Request to Consolidate Water Quality Suits against Monsanto Seeking PCB Remediation Costs195
In Re: Stormwater/Impaired Waters PCB Contamination Litigation, ___F.Supp.3d___, MDL Case No. 2697 (J.P.M.L. Apr. 7, 2016).
District Court Holds ‘Permit Shield’ Defense Does Not Apply to Violations of State Water Quality Standards Incorporated into NPDES Permit197
Natural Resources Defense Council v. Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, ___F.Supp.3d___, Case No. 11-cv-02937 (N.D. Ill. Mar. 31, 2016).
District Court Finds Clean Air Act Claims Did Not Arise in Isolation of State Law, Subjecting Them to Burford Abstention Treatment199
Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition v. River Cities Disposal, LLC, ___F.Supp.3d___, Case No. 15-47-DLB-EBA (E.D. Ky. Mar. 29, 2016).
District Court Reverses Prior Holding that Indian Tribes Cannot Recover Attorney’s Fees as Enforcement Costs under CERCLA201
Pakootas v. Teck Cominco Metals, Ltd., ___F.Supp.3d___, Case No. 2:04-cv-00256 (E.D. Wash. Apr. 1, 2016).
District Court Grant’s Army Corps’ Request for Voluntary Remand of Mitigation Banking Instrument for Further Proceedings under NEPA202
Sierra Club, Inc. v. St. Johns River Water Management District, ___F.Supp.3d___, Case No. 6:145-cv-1877—Orl-40DAB (M.D. Fl. Apr. 4, 2016).
District Court Strikes Affirmative Defenses as Insufficient as a Matter of Law in the Face of Clean Air Act and CERCLA Claims against Winery204
U.S. v. Gibson Wine Co., ___F.Supp.3d___, Case No. 1:15-cv-1900-AWI-SKO (E.D. Cal. Apr. 25, 2016).
