Recent Matters
Comments Submitted on FEIS for Proposed I-495 and I-270 Toll Lane Expansion Plan
July 22, 2022
On behalf of 43 groups and the City of Rockville, the Maryland Sierra Club submitted comments on the Maryland Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration’s Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) for the proposed I-495 and I-270 toll lane expansion FEIS. The review, supported by expert statements from a range of disciplines and drafted with the assistance of the law firm Jill Grant & Associates, LLC, reveals failures of the environmental review process that, if not addressed, violate the National Environmental Policy Act and other governing statutes.
Click on “Read More” to view press release from the Maryland Sierra Club which links to the comments and attachments.
Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency, No. 21-454
June 17, 2022
Jill Grant & Associates and EarthJustice authored an amicus brief on behalf of a number of federally recognized tribes in Sackett v. EPA, which challenges whether the 9th Circuit used the proper test for determining whether wetlands are “waters of the United States” under the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. § 1362(7).
Click on “Read More” to view the brief.
Comments Submitted on SDEIS for Proposed I-495 and I-270 Beltway Expansion Project
November 30, 2021
On behalf of 51 groups and the City of Rockville, the Maryland Sierra Club submits comments documenting the legal and technical flaws in Maryland Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration’s Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS) for the proposed I-495 and I-270 Beltway Expansion project. The comments explain that viable alternatives were not adequately considered, the SDEIS fails to consider significant environmental impacts, including environmental justice issues, and that the project’s harms outweigh its purported benefits.
Click on “Read More” to view press release from the Maryland Sierra Club and comments.
Navajo Nation v. Regan, 563 F. Supp. 3d 1164 (D.N.M. 2021)
September 27, 2021
New Mexico District Court grants the Navajo Nation’s request to vacate the 2020 Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule and restore previous regulations that better protect Navajo and the Nation’s waters.
Click on “Read More” to view Memorandum Opinion and Order.
City of Greenbelt Submits Comments Documenting Consistent Flaws with DEIS for Proposed Baltimore-Washington Superconducting Maglev
May 24, 2021
The City of Greenbelt submits comments, adopted by the City of College Park and the Town of Landover Hills, documenting consistent flaws with draft environmental impact statement for proposed Baltimore-Washington Superconducting Maglev. Greenbelt, College Park, and Landover Hills oppose the SCMaglev and support the no build alternative; they argue that project would waste billions of taxpayer dollars, harm the environment, disproportionately impact environmental justice communities, and benefit only a small segment of the most wealthy.
Click on “Letter” to view cover letter and “Comments” to view comments.
Shoshone-Bannock Tribes Sue Phosphate Mining Company
March 1, 2021
Shoshone-Bannock Tribes sue phosphate mining company P4 Production under Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), and along with United States and Idaho, propose settlement that would require cleanup of Ballard Mine site near Soda Springs, Idaho, and payment of response costs.
Click on “Read More” to view complaint.
Fifty Maryland and Virginia Organizations Submit Comments on the I-495 and I-270 Managed Lanes Study Draft Environmental Impact Statement, Draft 4(f) Evaluation, and Clean Water Act Section 404 Permit Application
November 6, 2020
On behalf of a diverse coalition of groups, the Maryland Sierra Club and Rock Creek Conservancy submit over 200 pages of comments analyzing the legal and technical flaws in Maryland Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration’s Draft Environmental Impacts Statement (DEIS), Draft 4(f) Evaluation, and Clean Water Act Section 404 Permit Application for the proposed I-495 and I-270 Beltway Expansion project. The groups argue that the DEIS does not consider any real alternatives to highway expansion and consistently fails to take a hard look at the environmental and health impacts of the project, as required by the National Environmental Policy Act.
Click on “Read More” to view comments.
Navajo Nation Files Amicus Brief in 10th Circuit Court Supporting Colorado’s Challenge to 2020 WOTUS Rule
August 10, 2020
Colorado v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, et al.
The Navajo Nation files an amicus brief in the Tenth Circuit to support the injunction stopping the 2020 Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule from taking effect in Colorado, explaining that the rule harms the Tribe and violates the Clean Water Act.
Click on “Read More” to view amicus brief.
Navajo Nation Challenges 2020 and 2019 WOTUS Rules
June 22, 2020
Navajo Nation v. Wheeler, et al.
The Navajo Nation sues U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in federal district court in New Mexico, arguing recent 2020 Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule and 2019 repeal of the Clean Water Rule significantly diminish the number and extent of Navajo waters protected by the Clean Water Act in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act.
Click on “Read More” to view complaint.