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Eastern Water Law & Policy Reporter

March 2020

Volume 15, Number 2 March 2020

FEATURE ARTICLE

U.S. EPA and the Corps Release WOTUS Rule that Closely Adheres to Justice Scalia’s Rapanos Opinion by Nicole E. Granquist, Esq. and Meghan A. Quinn, Esq., Downey Brand,LLP, Sacramento, California27

EASTERN WATER NEWS

Environmental Group WildEarth Guardians File ESA Petition to Protect Rio Grande Shiner33

News from the West34

REGULATORY DEVELOPMENTS

Federal Council on Environmental Quality Announces Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to the Regulations Implementing Provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act39

PENALTIES AND SANCTIONS

Recent Investigations, Settlements, Penalties and Sanctions41

JUDICIAL DEVELOPMENTS

Federal:

Seventh Circuit Affirms Dismissal of Challenge to State-Issued Clean Water Act 404 Permit44

Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, et al., ___F.3d___, Case No. 19-1130 (7th Cir. Jan.27, 2020).

Tenth Circuit Holds Prior Voluntary Consultation under the Endangered Species Act Does Not Bind the Corps of Engineers to Future Consulta-

tion45

WildEarth Guardians v. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, ___F.3d___, Case No. 18-2153 (10th Cir. Jan. 17, 2020).

When Will a State Taking Action Bar a Clean Water Act Citizen Suit?—Two Federal District Courts Decide47

Cox v. Board of County Commissioners of Franklin County, Ohio, ___F.Supp.3d___, Case No. 2:18-cv-1631 (S.D. Ohio Jan. 31, 2020); Stringer v Town of Jonesboro, ___ F.Supp.3d___, Case No. (W.D. La. Feb. 3, 2020).

Challenge to Oil Pollution Act Debt Collection Proceeding Dismissed by the District Court for Improper Venue49

Water Quality Insurance Syndicate v. National Pollution Funds Center, ___F.Supp.3d___, Case No. 19 Civ. 6344 (S.D. N.Y. Jan. 27, 2020).