Nw. Envtl. Advocates v. U.S. Dep't of Commerce

283 F. Supp. 3d 982
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Washington
DecidedSeptember 19, 2017
DocketCASE NO. C16–1866–JCC
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 283 F. Supp. 3d 982 (Nw. Envtl. Advocates v. U.S. Dep't of Commerce) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Washington primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Nw. Envtl. Advocates v. U.S. Dep't of Commerce, 283 F. Supp. 3d 982 (W.D. Wash. 2017).

Opinion

John C. Coughenour, UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

This matter comes before the Court on Defendants' motion to dismiss (Dkt. No. 21). Having thoroughly considered the parties' briefing and the relevant record, the Court finds oral argument unnecessary and hereby GRANTS in part and DENIES in part Defendants' motion to dismiss for the reasons explained herein.

I. BACKGROUND

Plaintiff Northwest Environmental Advocates ("NWEA") asserts that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ("NOAA"), in working with the State of Washington, failed to meet their obligations under the Clean Water Act ("CWA"), the Coastal Zone Management Act ("CZMA"), and the Endangered Species Act ("ESA") to protect Washington's coastal waters and the creatures that *986live in its waters from nonpoint source pollution. (Dkt. No. 18 at 1-2.) NWEA requests this Court order the agencies to do so. (Id. at 32-33.)

CWA addresses sources of pollution in the waters of the United States through a model of shared responsibility. Arkansas v. Oklahoma , 503 U.S. 91, 101, 112 S.Ct. 1046, 117 L.Ed.2d 239 (1992). Within this scheme, CWA Section 319 addresses nonpoint sources (e.g. runoff). It requires states to develop and implement a Nonpoint Management Program ("CWA Nonpoint Program"). 33 U.S.C. § 1329. Under Section 319, EPA's role is limited to approving each state's Nonpoint Program, assessing whether a state is making satisfactory progress towards the Program's implementation schedule, and making grants ("CWA Assistance Grants") to partially fund the Program. Id.

The Coastal Zone Reauthorization Amendments of 1990 ("CZARA"), 16 U.S.C. § 1455b represent a portion of CZMA. CZARA provides a separate, but distinct Coastline Nonpoint Pollution Management Program ("Coastal Nonpoint Program") to CWA's Nonpoint Program. Its focus is on coastal areas. Any state with a Coastal Zone Management Program must include a Coastal Nonpoint Program. 16 U.S.C. § 1455b(a)(1). A state's Coastal Nonpoint Program must be approved both by EPA and NOAA, the latter of which does so on behalf of the U.S. Department of Commerce. (Dkt. No. 18 at 6.) Like CWA Section 319's Nonpoint Program, once a state submits an approvable Coastal Nonpoint Program, the state is eligible to receive federal grants under CZMA ("Coastal Assistance Grants") to assist it in its implementation. 16 U.S.C. § 1455b(h)(2)(B).

The Administrative Procedure Act ("APA") allows persons to sue a government agency if harmed by the agency's failure to comply with its statutory mandate. Sackett v. E.P.A. , 566 U.S. 120, 125, 132 S.Ct. 1367, 182 L.Ed.2d 367 (2012). The APA only applies to the extent a remedy would not otherwise exist for the impacted person. 5 U.S.C. § 704. Suit can be brought under the APA against agencies who "unlawfully with[o]ld or unreasonably delay[ ]" actions required by law, or take actions that are "arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, or otherwise not in accordance with law." 5 U.S.C. § 706(1), (2)(A). Neither CWA Section 319 nor CZARA provide a cause of action for violations of the Acts. Therefore, such claims must be brought under the APA.

The ESA, on the other hand, contains its own cause of action. 16 U.S.C. § 1540(g). This provision provides a direct cause of action for any violation of the Act. Id. The ESA was established to protect and conserve species threatened with extinction. Nat'l Ass'n of Home Builders v. Defs. of Wildlife , 551 U.S. 644, 651, 127 S.Ct. 2518, 168 L.Ed.2d 467 (2007). Section 7 requires federal agencies taking discretionary action that may jeopardize the existence of listed species or adversely affect critical habitat of such species to consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ("FWS") and the National Marine Fisheries Service ("NMFS") before taking action. 16 U.S.C. § 1536(a)(2) ; Nat. Res. Def. Council v. Houston , 146 F.3d 1118, 1125 (9th Cir. 1998). Generally, action may only be taken if FWS and NMFS determine that it will not jeopardize the existence of such species or its critical habitat. 16 U.S.C. § 1536(b)(4).

NWEA asserts its members have been harmed by EPA and NOAA's inaction and the agencies' unlawful actions. First, the agencies failed to make a final CZARA approval decision on Washington's Coastal Nonpoint Program (Claim # 1). (Dkt. No.

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283 F. Supp. 3d 982, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/nw-envtl-advocates-v-us-dept-of-commerce-wawd-2017.