On-Demand Webinar | Taking the Plunge: Lessons Learned from Water System Consolidations
On-Demand Webinar | Flood or Drought? A Discussion of the Election’s Potential Legislative Impacts on the Water Sector
The time for Newsom to sign or veto bills has now passed. Of the nine bills discussed herein, Newsom signed seven and vetoed two. Please see the update below each bill that discusses its resolution....more
The 2024 legislative session ended on August 31, meaning the legislature passed all bills for this year. All of the bills are currently with Governor Newsom. He has until September 30 to sign or veto any bills. Any bills not...more
On August 6, 2024, the Office of Administrative Law (OAL) approved the direct potable reuse (DPR) regulations that were previously adopted by the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) on December 19, 2023....more
Water Agencies Beware Before Proceeding with Forced Municipalization - California’s state water system serves roughly 40 million people and irrigates nearly 10 million acres of farmland. The 2023 water year was ranked as...more
Introduction - On March 15, 2024, the Sacramento County Superior Court found that the State Water Board’s substitute environmental document did not violate the Porter-Cologne Act, the California Environmental Quality Act...more
On January 4, 2024, the Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO) issued its statutorily-mandated report – “Assessing Early Implementation of Urban Water Use Efficiency Requirements” – analyzing the implementation of the “Make...more
UPDATE: On August 23, 2023 the California Supreme Court, sitting en banc, denied Waterkeeper’s petition for review. The Second District Court of Appeal’s ruling therefore remains the governing law....more
UPDATE: In response to a request for modification by the State and Regional Water Boards, the Second District Court of Appeal has limited certain aspects of its prior ruling. The primary ask of the State and Regional Water...more
California adopts emergency water conservation regulations Bullet Los Angeles Times - May 24 The State Water Resources Control Board on Tuesday voted to adopt emergency drought rules that increase conservation requirements...more
California challenges San Bernardino air cargo facility used by Amazon - Freight Waves – January 4 - The state of California on Monday petitioned a federal appeals court to rehear its lawsuit challenging a new air...more
EPA’s power to curb greenhouse gases faces Supreme Court scrutiny - Courthouse News Service – October 29 - The Supreme Court announced last Friday that it will hear challenges brought by the states of West Virginia...more
EPA to propose first-ever PFAS discharge limits - The Hill – September 8 - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on Wednesday that it will propose a rule to set the first-ever limits on the...more
San Francisco sues state to retain access to vital water supply - Courthouse News Service – May 14 - The city of San Francisco sued the State Water Resources Control Board in Tuolumne County Superior Court last Friday...more
$4.2 million fine upheld for California homeowner’s blocking of beach access - The Mercury News – April 6 - A federal appeals court on Monday upheld a $4.2 million fine against a Malibu homeowner for blocking beach...more
2021 Land Use, Environmental & Natural Resources Update - Allen Matkins – March 25 - With the end of the first quarter of 2021 approaching, we thought it timely to issue an update on selected recent developments and...more
On January 20, 2021, the California State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) adopted a new statewide general Waste Discharge Requirement (WDR) order for winery process waste discharge facilities (New Winery...more
President-elect Joe Biden’s victory over Donald Trump could mean big changes for federal treatment of issues affecting water service providers, as well as how such issues are addressed in California, where Governor Newsom...more
On July 9, 2020, the California State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) issued an investigative order (the Order) to sample for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) at more than 250 publicly owned...more
The California State Water Resources Control Board (“State Water Board”) recently issued a draft Definition of Microplastics in Drinking Water and an accompanying staff report....more
The State Water Resources Control Board (Water Board) announced on March 26, 2020, that it does not anticipate bringing enforcement actions against water rights holders who are required to make annual filings by April 1,...more
On February 6, 2020, the California State Water Resources Control Board lowered the response levels (RLs) for perflourooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), two of the most common compounds in the...more
Governor Newsom proposes new plan for San Joaquin River Delta - Governor Gavin Newsom revealed a novel approach Tuesday to managing the San Joaquin River Delta that would keep more water in the fragile delta while restoring...more
Results from the first phase of sampling drinking water supply wells for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were recently published by the California State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) and show...more
The Third District Appellate Court recently issued a long-awaited decision in Environmental Law Foundation vs. State Water Resources Control Board (ELF v. SWRCB). The decision confirms the expansive scope of California's...more
Although the federal government under the Trump Administration is stepping back from regulations under the Clean Water Act (CWA) – see President Donald Trump's Executive Orderand proposed federal rule – the state of...more