In a unanimous decision, the Washington State Supreme Court has declined to review Clark County’s appeal of the WA State Court of Appeals stormwater ruling. In September 2012, Washington State Court of Appeals upheld the Pollution Control Hearings Board ruling that Clark County’s weak stormwater plan allowed too much polluted runoff and violates both State [...]
Posts under ‘Storm Water’
Federal Judge Lifts Stay on Clark County Stormwater Case
U.S. District Judge Ronald B. Leighton has lifted a stay on a federal lawsuit against Clark County regarding their stormwater management plan. The injunction was issued against Clark County in December 2011, ordering it to follow the state’s default stormwater rules while its stormwater plan was under review by the state Court of Appeals. The [...]
OPB Announces Results of Its EarthFix Poll: NW Residents Rank Stormwater as Greatest Source of Water Pollution
OPB has published the results of their environmental news segment, EarthFix, water pollution survey. Results show respondents ranked stormwater runoff as the greatest source of water pollution. From OPB: A new poll by Earthfix suggests growing awareness in the Northwest of some of the problems associated with nonpoint source pollution- the diffuse chemicals, bacteria, and [...]
WA Court of Appeals Rules County’s Plan to Manage Polluted Runoff Illegal
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 26, 2012 Contacts: Jan Hasselman, Earthjustice Dvija Michael Bertish, Rosemere Neighborhood Association Brett VandenHeuvel, Columbia Riverkeeper Mark Riskedahl, Northwest Environmental Defense Center WA Court of Appeals Rules County’s Plan to Manage Polluted Runoff Illegal Taxpayer subsidy, fish-killing loopholes scrapped by judges as violations to clean water laws Tacoma, WA – In [...]
Media Advisory: State Appeals Court Hears Arguments by County to Circumvent Clean Water Act
Media Advisory for July 2, 2012 CONTACTS: Jan Hasselman, Earthjustice, (206) 343-7340, ext. 1025 (Available July 2) Janette Brimmer, Earthjustice, (206) 343-7340, ext. 1029 Dvija Michael Bertish, Rosemere Neighborhood Association, (360) 281-4747 Brett VandenHeuvel, Columbia Riverkeeper, (503) 348-2436 State Appeals Court Hears Arguments by County to Circumvent Clean Water Act Protections of Fish and Water [...]
PRESS RELEASE: New EPA Study shows contamination at Camp Bonneville has migrated
************ FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE *************** NEW EPA STUDY SHOWS CONTAMINATION AT CAMP BONNEVILLE HAS MIGRATED Contact: Dvija Michael Bertish, Rosemere Neighborhood Association 360-281-4747 Original Release: May 31, 2012 Update: June 8, 2012 EPA Region X (Seattle Office) has published a May 2012 Technical Data Report entitled “Camp Bonneville Expanded Site Inspection, Vancouver WA” (Technical Document [...]
Community Representatives Sign Letter to EPA & DOD Urging Inclusive Military Cleanup Discussions
Representatives from community and environmental groups from across the United States and Puerto Rico have signed a letter to Dr. Dorothy Robyn, Deputy Undersecretary of Defense and Mathy Stanislaus, Environmental Protection Agency Assistant Administrator, urging more comprehensive transparent and inclusive discussions on military cleanup regulatory requirements. We are representatives of communities that host active, closing, [...]
Judge Leighton Denies Clark County Motion For Bond
U.S. District Court Judge Ronald B. Leighton has denied Clark County’s request that Rosemere Neighborhood Association, Columbia Riverkeeper and Northwest Environmental Defense Center (Rosemere et al) post a monetary bond in their ongoing stormwater case. In January 2011, the Washington State Pollution Control Board ruled that Clark County’s “alternative” plan for monitoring stormwater was illegal [...]
CITIZENS FIGHT FOR CLEAN WATER IN CLARK COUNTY
CITIZENS TAKE ON CLARK COUNTY’S FAILED ATTEMPT TO MAKE TAXPAYERS PAY FOR DEVELOPERS’ STORMWATER POLLUTION Nationwide, stormwater is the leading source of water pollution. This is also true for the Columbia River Basin. In urban areas, rain runs across dirty pavement and roofs, picking up toxic metals, oil, grease, bacteria and other contaminants along the [...]
Federal Judge Suspends County’s Inadequate Polluted Runoff Standards
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 29, 2011
Contacts:
Janette Brimmer, Earthjustice, 206-343-7340 ext. 1029
Dvija Michael Bertish, Rosemere Neighborhood Association, 360-281-4747
Brett VandenHeuvel, Columbia Riverkeeper, 503-348-2436
Federal Judge Suspends County’s Inadequate Polluted Runoff Standards
Injunction requires Clark County to shelve fish-killing loopholes in its development standards
Tacoma, WA.—A Washington state county’s controversial development standards appear to violate federal laws to protect clean water, according to a preliminary ruling by a U.S. District Court Judge.
The decision, issued December 28 by U.S. District Court Judge Ronald B. Leighton, means Clark County must comply with federal clean water laws, like other cities and counties in the state, to protect rivers, streams and salmon threatened with extinction. The ruling applies to development projects permitted or approved by the county on or after the court’s order while a related state court appeal is pending.
Rosemere Neighborhood Association, Columbia Riverkeeper, and the Northwest Environmental Defense Center, represented by Earthjustice, challenged Clark County’s failure to protect threatened salmon.
“Many cities and counties in our state are working hard to clean up polluted waterways and now Clark County must finally do the same,” said Janette Brimmer, an Earthjustice attorney who is representing the groups. “The ruling recognizes that everyone needs to do their share to protect our precious streams, rivers and salmon and that Clark County, like everyone else, must follow the law.”
