Sierra Club v. United States Environmental Protection Agency
A district court ordered EPA to impose a "good neighbor” federal implementation plan (FIP) for Texas with respect to the 1997 fine particulate matter (PM2.5) NAAQS. In 2015, the D.C. Circuit invalidated portions of EPA's Cross-State Air Pollution Rule, which included a FIP addressing interstate tr...
New Mexico Department of Game & Fish v. United States Department of Interior
A district court preliminarily enjoined FWS from releasing endangered Mexican wolves in New Mexico without first obtaining the necessary permits from the state's game and wildlife agency. New Mexico law requires all persons who import and release non-domesticated animals to obtain a permit before do...
Protect Our Communities Foundation v. Jewell
The Ninth Circuit upheld BLM's decision to grant a right-of-way allowing a wind energy project to be built and operated on federal lands in southeast San Diego County. Community groups argued that BLM violated NEPA, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act i...
Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment v. Kennecott Utah Copper LLC
A district court dismissed on summary judgment environmental groups' lawsuit against a mining company for alleged SIP violations as it relates to NAAQS for coarse particular matter (PM10). Under the Utah SIP's "material moved" provision for PM10, total material moved (ore and waste) may not exceed 1...
Nucor Steel-Arkansas v. Big River Steel, LLC
The Eighth Circuit affirmed a lower court decision dismissing a steel company's CAA citizen lawsuit seeking injunctive relief to stop a competitor from constructing or continuing to construct a steel mill. Arkansas's environmental agency already issued the competitor a preconstruction PSD permit. Ne...
United States v. Sawyer
The Sixth Circuit upheld a lower court decision sentencing an individual to 60 months in prison and ordered the individual and his co-defendants, jointly and severally, to pay $10,388,576.71 in restitution to EPA for asbestos NESHAPS violations. The individual and co-defendants formed a salvage comp...