Two Petitions Filed Seeking Supreme Court Review of Ninth Circuit Decision in Delta Smelt Case
Posted in Litigation

Recently, two separate petitions were filed with the U.S. Supreme Court seeking review of the Ninth Circuit’s decision in San Luis and Delta Mendota Water Authority v. Jewell, a case involving a challenge to the biological opinion and reasonable and prudent alternative issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regarding continuing operations of the Central Valley Project and State Water Project in California. The two projects provide water to over 20 million Californians.

One petition (pdf) was filed on behalf of Stewart & Jasper Orchards, Arroyo Farms, and King Pistachio Grove. The second petition (pdf) was filed on behalf of the State Water Contractors, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, Coalition for a Sustainable Delta, Kern County Water Agency, San Luis & Delta Mendota Water Authority, and Westlands Water District.

The Ninth Circuit issued a split decision (pdf) in the case, with the panel majority reversing the lower court’s ruling invalidating the biological opinion on numerous grounds.

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  • Paul S. Weiland
    Partner

    Paul Weiland is Assistant Managing Partner and a member of the Environment & Land Use Group. He has represented clients – including public agencies, publicly regulated utilities, corporations, trade associations and ...

Nossaman’s Endangered Species Law & Policy blog focuses on news, events, and policies affecting endangered species issues in California and throughout the United States. Topics include listing and critical habitat decisions, conservation and recovery planning, inter-agency consultation, and related developments in law, policy, and science. We also inform readers about regulatory and legislative developments, as well as key court decisions.

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