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Have federal wildlife regulators made Sophie’s Choice?

December 02, 2016 | By TONY FRANCOIS

Federal wildlife regulators have a legal responsibility to consider the impact of federal actions on endangered wildlife. That is their legal argument for their program to de-water the farms and communities of California’s San Joaquin Valley, by holding that water for endangered fish in the Sacramento Delta instead. But life comes at you fas ...

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Another win for the Delta smelt

April 16, 2014 | By DAMIEN SCHIFF

Just minutes ago, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued its en banc unanimous decision in NRDC v. Jewell holding that the Bureau of Reclamation violated the Endangered Species Act in renewing several dozen water contracts in connection with the Central Valley Project.  The Court, in an opinion authored by conservative GOP-appointed Judge Milan ...

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Farmers lose another water battle

March 14, 2013 | By DAMIEN SCHIFF

Earlier this month, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected an attempt by water users within the San Luis Unit of the Central Valley Project to require the Bureau of Reclamation to provide them more water.  In San Luis Unit Food Producers v. United States, the appellate court, in an opinion authored by Judge Trott, upheld … ...

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9th Circuit sets oral argument re : 2008 delta smelt biop litigation

July 10, 2012 | By PACIFIC LEGAL FOUNDATION

Today the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued this notice of oral argument for San Luis & Delta Mendota Water Authority v. NRDC, aka The Consolidated Delta Smelt Cases.  The oral argument will take place on Monday, September 10, at 9AM in the Lloyd D. George United States Courthouse in Las Vegas.  The oral argument will … ...

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Feds and NRDC file responsive briefs in 9th Circuit delta smelt litigation

April 30, 2012 | By PACIFIC LEGAL FOUNDATION

In the continuing 9th Circuit litigation over Judge Wanger’s decision to invalidate the 2008 delta smelt biological opinion, the federal government and the Natural Resources Defense Council on Friday filed briefs in response to earlier filings made by water users and the California Department of Water Resources.  For prior posts on this 9t ...

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Delta smelt X2 injunction briefing completed in the Ninth Circuit

April 05, 2012 | By PACIFIC LEGAL FOUNDATION

This afternoon the Natural Resources Defense Council filed this reply brief in its Ninth Circuit appeal of Judge Wanger’s decision from last year to enjoin the Fall X2 action.  That should complete briefing on the injunction, and we’ll now for briefing to be completed in the merits appeal of Judge Wanger’s decision to invalidate ...

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A quick correction for the recent MSNBC delta smelt story

March 23, 2012 | By PACIFIC LEGAL FOUNDATION

This morning Aquafornia linked to an MSNBC story on delta smelt water restrictions.  The MSNBC story reports: A court-ordered protection of the Delta smelt, an endangered sliver of a fish, has reduced the amount of water farmers may use to 30 percent of their contracted amount. This means an estimated half million acres could be … ...

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Delta smelt X2 litigation resumes in the Ninth Circuit

March 22, 2012 | By PACIFIC LEGAL FOUNDATION

You may recall that in late January of this year I blogged that the Ninth Circuit delta smelt X2 litigation had been completed for the moment.  This was after the completion of briefing related to the water users’ motion to dismiss NRDC’s appeal of Judge Wanger’s 2011 X2 injunction. Given that the Ninth Circuit has … ...

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Another round of Ninth Circuit delta smelt briefing completed

February 13, 2012 | By PACIFIC LEGAL FOUNDATION

On Friday, February 10, State Water Contractors, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority and Westlands Water District, and the California Department of Water Resources filed briefs in the ongoing appeal of Judge Wanger’s 12/14/10 decision to invalidate the 2008 delta smelt biological op ...