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Washington’s leadership affirms the state’s commitment to restore healthy and abundant salmon and steelhead fisheries in the Columbia and Snake rivers

Victory will bring clearer views and cleaner air to national parks

Deadlines set for EPA to take action on 33 states’ plans to reduce haze pollution

Each legal matter that Earthjustice takes on is a commitment to our clients and partners — a promise to fight alongside them for however long it takes.

Toxic gold mining along rivers crossing the British Columbia-Alaska border threatens critical ecosystems and the sovereign rights of Alaska Native communities.

To adapt to and withstand the challenges of climate change, we must respect Indigenous knowledge and protect Tribal rights. Here’s where this administration stood.

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The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issued a consent decree mandating the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to finalize much-needed updates to ethylene oxide regulations by March 1, 2024. This court-enforced deadline comes as a result of years of tireless advocacy from communities across the country and a corresponding lawsuit filed by Earthjustice on behalf of California Communities Against Toxics, Clean Power Lake County, Rio Grande International Study Center, Sierra Club, and Union of Concerned Scientists.

The new rule is an important — but imperfect — step toward equitable federal permitting of high-priority transmission lines.

The EPA will consider closing a loophole that exempts over half a billion tons of toxic coal ash in landfills from federal oversight. The proposed consent decree would require that EPA either complete a review of 40 CFR 257.50(d) and determine that no revision is necessary, or sign a proposed rule to revise it on or before May 5, 2023. If a proposal is issued, the EPA must take final action regarding the proposed revision no later than May 6, 2024.

A federal judge granted a preliminary injunction sought by Earthjustice and Western Mining Action Project, extending a temporary pause on harmful drilling for the duration of the Hualapai Tribe’s legal case challenging federal approval of the Sandy Valley Lithium Exploration Project.

On April 18, 2023, a federal court signed a consent decree between Earthjustice clients and the Environmental Protection Agency, which agreed to review oil and gas source air pollution emission standards.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) agreed in a consent decree to review and determine whether to update pollution limits for Group I Polymers and Resins facilities — certain synthetic rubber manufacturing facilities that emit cancer-causing air pollutants and other air toxics. The decision stems from an Earthjustice lawsuit filed on behalf of Concerned Citizens of St. John, Louisiana Environmental Action Network, and Sierra Club in November of 2021. A federal court in Washington, D.C. entered a consent decree requiring EPA to perform overdue rulemakings for Group I Polymers and Resins facilities. EPA must issue a proposed rule with potentially updated pollution limits by March of 2023 and a final rule by March of 2024. [Case 1:20-cv-03119-TNM, authored by Hon. Trevor N. McFadden]

Plaintiffs Cape Fear River Watch, et al. filed complaint against Defendants the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Michael S. Regan, administrator of the EPA. Complaint alleges EPA failed to at least annually revise, if appropriate, the effluent limitations guidelines for the Meat and Poultry Products (MPP) industrial point source category, and failed to publish regulations establishing pretreatment standards for introduction of pollutants from MPP facilities into publicly owned treatment works.

How communities can gain information about and influence over Hydrogen Hub projects, including DOE’s Community Benefits Plan requirements

Swinomish seeks to defend NOAA Fisheries Biological Opinion that protects ESA-listed Chinook Salmon, endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) agreed to update pollution rules for some of the most hazardous chemical manufacturers, including facilities that emit the potent carcinogen ethylene oxide. The decision stems from a lawsuit filed by seven community and advocacy groups in December of 2020. A federal court in D.C. entered a consent decree that binds EPA to begin this new rulemaking in 2022 and issue a new final rule no later than spring 2024.

Here’s why we remain confident that the courts are a place where we can mount an effective defense of the environment.