Supreme Court Upholds Southern California Water Quality Victory

Justices deny review; Los Angeles County must now clean up its toxic discharges
Source NRDC
May 5, 2014
2 min read
1655260404363 Southern California Water Quality Victory
A decision by the U.S. Supreme Court will protect millions of people living near and visiting Los Angeles rivers and beaches from the harmful effects of water pollution. The Supreme Court declined Los Angeles County and the County Flood Control District’s request to review a 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling finding Los Angeles County liable for untreated storm water pollution that plagues local waterways. The decision stems from a lawsuit initiated by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Los Angeles Waterkeeper in 2008.

The Supreme Court previously remanded the case to the 9th Circuit Court, which sided with NRDC and Waterkeeper last August. In an attempt to shirk its responsibility for cleaning up the region’s chronically polluted waterways, the county petitioned the Supreme Court for review in January 2014.

Denying review of the case allows the lower court ruling to remain in place and holds Los Angeles County liable for water pollution, with documented and persistent violations of its Clean Water Act permit in the Los Angeles and San Gabriel Rivers since 2003. This final resolution of liability now obligates Los Angeles County to take immediate action to clean up its storm water runoff and protect people and water quality.

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Source: NRDC

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