Posted on January 25, 2011 by Theodore Garrett
On January 10, 2011, the US district court in DC ruled that the mining industry is likely to succeed in challenging EPA’s interim April 1, 2010, guidance on Clean Water Act (CWA) §404 permitting for surface mining projects in Appalachia, but denied industry’s motion for a preliminary injunction. The decision, in a lawsuit brought by the National Mining Association, illustrates the pitfalls of agency regulation by guidance. The court’s opinionaccepts the industry’s arguments that EPA likely violated the notice-and-comment requirements of the Administrative Procedure Act and that EPA’s June 11, 2009 Enhanced Coordination Process memorandum, which subjects coal mining related §404 permits to enhanced scrutiny, “encroached upon the role carved out for the states under the Clean Water Act” However, the court held that the industry has not demonstrated the certainness of imminence of industry losses and, further, why any economic losses resulting from permitting delays “cannot ultimately be recovered if and when the mining projects in question are permitted to proceed.” The court denied the government’s motion to dismiss and held that the case is ripe for a determination on the merits, because no factual developments would clarify the issues.
Tags: Water