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More on Los Angeles County Water Management District

January 11, 2013 | By DAMIEN SCHIFF

Now available is a post-decision podcast I recorded for the Federalist Society, which goes into greater detail on why I believe that, from the perspective of the Clean Water Act practitioner, this decision is much ado about nothing. … ...

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It really was much ado about nothing

January 10, 2013 | By DAMIEN SCHIFF

On Monday, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously in Los Angeles County Flood Control District v. Natural Resources Defense Council that the Clean Water Act does not regulate the mere flow of polluted water from an upstream “improved” segment to a downstream “unimproved” segment of the same water of the United States.  The Cou ...

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Much ado about nothing, part III

December 07, 2012 | By DAMIEN SCHIFF

In case you haven’t had enough, the Federalist Society has published a podcast of me discussing Los Angeles County Flood Control District v. NRDC, a Clean Water Act case dealing with stormwater pollution, argued earlier this week. … ...

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Much ado about nothing, part II

December 06, 2012 | By DAMIEN SCHIFF

Last month I wrote about a very peculiar case just argued this week in the United States Supreme Court—Los Angeles County Flood Control District v. Natural Resources Defense Council—concerning the Clean Water Act’s regulation of stormwater.  The case is peculiar because all the parties and the federal government as amicus agree o ...

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Much ado about nothing?

November 21, 2012 | By DAMIEN SCHIFF

The United States Supreme Court this Term will hear at least two cases arising under the Clean Water Act:  Decker v. Northwest Environmental Advocates, and Los Angeles County Flood Control District v. Natural Resources Defense Council. The former concerns the legality of EPA’s regulation exempting owners and operators of forest roads from ob ...

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Another twist in the LA River saga

May 16, 2011 | By PACIFIC LEGAL FOUNDATION

Author:  Damien M. Schiff The LA River has been getting a lot of attention these last several years.  First, it came up in Justice Kennedy's concurring opinion in Rapanos, as an example of a waterbody that doesn't flow all year round but that nevertheless can have a significant environmental impact (because of winter flash ...

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The LA River's navigability : what's the big deal?

July 09, 2010 | By PACIFIC LEGAL FOUNDATION

Author:  Damien M. Schiff This week the EPA announced that it was reversing a 2008 Army Corps of Engineers determination that the Los Angeles River (whose headwaters form in the San Fernando Valley and empties some 51 miles away into San Pedro Bay) is not a "traditional navigable waterbody" for purposes of federal regulation.  ...