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By Andrew H. Perellis, Jeryl L. Olson, and Patrick D. Joyce

Seyfarth Synopsis: Rather than providing clarity, the Supreme Court introduced substantial uncertainty into the NPDES permitting process involving situations where a point source discharge first enters groundwater and then migrates some distance – short or long – before discharging into a “navigable water” that is subject …
Continue Reading Murky Water Ahead: SCOTUS Rules Contaminant Discharges to Groundwater “May” or “May Not” Require NPDES Permit

By Jeryl L. Olson and Andrew H. Perellis

Seyfarth Synopsis: USEPA published an Interpretive Statement (dated April 12, 2019), which according to the Agency “clarifies” that releases of pollutants to groundwater from a point source are “categorically excluded” from Clean Water Act National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting requirements. 

According to the Agency, the exclusion applies regardless of…
Continue Reading USEPA Determines Pollutant Releases to Groundwater from Point Source Do Not Require NPDES Permit

By Jeryl L. Olson, Patrick D. Joyce, and Craig B. Simonsen

Seyfarth Synopsis: Last week before his departure USEPA Administrator Pruitt notified the regulated community that he had directed the Agency to update regulations governing the Agency’s use of Section 404(c) veto power in permitting discharges of dredged or fill materials under Section 404 of the Clean …
Continue Reading USEPA Administrator Pruitt Issues Memo to Update Agency Use of Clean Water Act Section 404(c) Veto Power

By Andrew H. Perellis, Kay R. Bonza, and Craig B. Simonsen

EPA SignSeyfarth Synopsis: The EPA and Army Corps of Engineers have proposed to rescind the 2015 Clean Water Rule defining “Waters of the U.S.,” and recodify the pre-existing rule, then engage in a subsequent rulemaking to re-evaluate and revise the definition of WOTUS presumably intended to decrease …
Continue Reading EPA and Army Corps of Engineers Propose to Rescind Obama Era Rule Redefining “Waters of the United States”

By Patrick D. Joyce, Jeryl L. Olson, and Craig B. Simonsen

Blog - Fracking WaterSeyfarth Synopsis: With significant objection from Industry, EPA has issued its Final Report on whether hydraulic fracturing activities can impact drinking water resources under certain circumstances.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency published its controversial final report on “Hydraulic Fracturing for Oil and Gas: Impacts from …
Continue Reading EPA Releases Final Report on Impacts on Drinking Water from Hydraulic Fracturing

By Andrew H. Perellis, Patrick D. Joyce, and Craig B. Simonsen

US Supreme Court Capitol Hill Daytime Washington DCSeyfarth Synopsis: The Supreme Court decided that Army Corps’ jurisdictional determinations are judicially reviewable. This decision leaves open the question of whether other types of administrative decisions are immediately judicially reviewable.

In a significant victory for owners of private property, the Supreme Court of the United…
Continue Reading Supreme Court Sides with Property Owners: Jurisdictional Determination is Reviewable

Supreme CourtSeyfarth Partner Andrew H. Perellis is quoted in this Law360 expert analysis, High Court Water Case Could Put Target On Agencies’ Backs (March 29, 2016).

The pending Supreme Court case, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers v. Hawkes Co. Inc. et al., no. 15-290, involves what constitutes a final agency action reviewable under the Administrative Procedure Act. We had previously …
Continue Reading Is the Corps’ Determination on Jurisdiction Over a Wetland Judicially Reviewable?

By Andrew H. Perellis, Patrick D. Joyce, and Craig B. Simonsen

Supreme CourtThe Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) agreed on Friday to review an important Clean Water Act (CWA) decision issued by the Eighth Circuit in Hawkes Co., Inc., et al. v. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, No. 13-3067 (April 10, 2015).

The issue presented for…
Continue Reading Supreme Court to Decide if Army Corps Initial Jurisdictional Determination to Regulate Wetlands Under CWA is Ripe for Judicial Review

By Patrick D. Joyce and Craig B. Simonsen

Blog - Fracking WaterThe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released a draft assessment study last week showing that hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) activities in the U.S. may have potential impacts on the water lifecycle, affecting drinking water resources. 80 Fed. Reg. 32111 (June 5, 2015).

The report, Assessment of the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing for Oil …
Continue Reading EPA Finds Low Potential Impacts on Drinking Water from Hydraulic Fracturing

By Jeryl L. Olson, Andrew H. Perellis and Patrick D. Joyce

The EPA and Army Corps of Engineers recently released its Final Clean Water Rule: Definition of “Waters of the United States.”

We had previously blogged about the Agency’s draft of the proposed rule that was distributed in November, 2013 as well as a “clarification” of the proposed rule…
Continue Reading EPA Publishes Final Rule Expanding Definition of “Waters of the United States” Under the Clean Water Act