This week, two California water agencies filed petitions appealing to the Supreme Court to review a landmark decision that gives Native American tribes groundwater rights. The Coachella Valley Water District and Desert Water Agency are challenging a March decision by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which held that the AguaCaliente Band of Cahuilla Indian […]
Governor Jerry Brown announced yesterday that a global climate action conference will be held in San Francisco in 2018, as he continues his quest to be a leader in the global warming movement. Governor Brown previously criticized President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement—an agreement which was never ratified by the U.S. Congress. […]
A California judge has allowed oil companies and agricultural groups to proceed with a lawsuit challenging California’s low carbon fuel standard. Last week, U.S. District Judge Lawrence O’Neill agreed to let the two groups of plaintiffs bring a dormant Commerce Clause claim, because they have successfully shown that the fuel scheme could have a discriminatory […]
May 6, 2017 | Category:
California,
CEQA,
Land Use,
Lawsuit,
News | Tags:
California,
california land use,
CEQA,
environmental group,
land use,
Land Use Law,
lawsuit,
mitchell chadwick llp,
traffic studyIn a recent decision, the California Supreme Court added to the complexity of CEQA review for projects in coastal areas. On March 30, 2017, the Supreme Court issued its holding in Banning Ranch Conservancy v. City of Newport Beach (S227473), which struck down an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) prepared by the City of Newport Beach […]
Lawmakers Consider Reforms to California’s Water Delivery Rules Representatives from California and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy introduced H.R. 23 on January 4, 2017, to facilitate further drought relief for California farmers and water districts. Among other things, the bill aims to protect water rights, reduce costs of water delivery contracts, amend the 1992 Central […]
November 18, 2016 | Category:
CEQA,
Land Use,
News | Tags:
California,
california land use,
CEQA,
land use,
Land Use Law,
mitchell chadwick,
mitchell chadwick llp,
Water,
Water Law,
Waters Of The U.S. Santa Barbara County Water Supply Vanishing Due to Drought The reservoir serving much of Santa Barbara County reached a record low this summer and could continue to disappear with a dry winter. The 3,000 acre reservoir, Lake Cachuma (see above photos in “before” and “after” shots), holds Santa Barbara County’s drinking water and reached […]
November 5, 2016 | Category:
CEQA,
Land Use,
Lawsuit,
News | Tags:
Braiden Chadwick,
California,
california land use,
CEQA,
environmental group,
land use,
Land Use Law,
lawsuit,
mitchell chadwick,
mitchell chadwick llpCalifornia Supreme Court rejects “new project” test for supplemental review and upholds the application of CEQA Guidelines section 15162 to negative declarations. After requesting additional briefing, the California Supreme Court published its decision in Friends of the College of San Mateo Gardens v. San Mateo Community College District (S214061) on September 19, 2016. In its […]
November 4, 2016 | Category:
Air Quality,
CEQA,
Endangered Species,
Land Use,
Lawsuit,
News,
Traffic | Tags:
Braiden Chadwick,
California,
california land use,
CEQA,
court case,
Endangered,
endangered species,
environmental group,
Highway Administration,
land use,
Land Use Law,
lawsuit,
mitchell chadwick,
mitchell chadwick llp,
trafficEnvironmental Groups Move for Summary Judgment in Suit Against Federal Highway Administration Environmental groups recently filed for summary judgment, alleging that the Federal Highway Administration (“FHWA”) failed to consider community impacts or less harmful alternatives prior to approving a $1.7 billion highway project, the Mid County Parkway (“MCP”), in Riverside County. The Center for Biological […]
October 25, 2016 | Category:
CEQA,
Endangered Species,
Land Use,
Lawsuit,
News | Tags:
Braiden Chadwick,
California,
california land use,
Endangered,
endangered species,
environmental group,
land use,
Land Use Law,
mitchell chadwick,
mitchell chadwick llp,
Water,
Water LawCalifornia: Water Is For Fish Not Farmers State regulators are moving to leave more water in two of the biggest rivers in California in an effort to preserve the native ecosystem of the San Francisco Bay and the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. While California farmers’ water allocations have been reduced, San Francisco water officials have […]
October 16, 2016 | Category:
CEQA,
Endangered Species,
Land Use,
Lawsuit,
News | Tags:
California,
california land use,
CEQA,
Endangered,
endangered species,
environmental group,
land use,
Land Use Law,
lawsuit,
mitchell chadwick,
mitchell chadwick llp,
species,
Water,
Water Law,
Waters Of The U.S.Rep. Huffman of California Asks FERC to Approve Klamath Dam Removal On October 12th, Rep. Jared Huffman, D-Calif., Ranking Member on the Water Power, and Oceans Subcommitte on the House Committee on Natural Resources, sent a letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”), urging FERC to approve applications which would allow the transfer of […]
