United States Sixth Circuit

In a suit against the EPA by environmental and industry interest groups challenging the EPA's Final Rule concluding that pesticides applied in accordance with the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) are exempt from the Clean Water Act's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting requirements, the Final Rule is vacated where the text of the Clean Water Act bars the Final Rule by subjecting dischargers of pesticide pollutants to the NPDES.

Appellate Information

• Decided 01/07/2009
• Published 01/07/2009

Judges

• Before:  GUY, SUHRHEINRICH, and COLE, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Sixth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• ARGUED:  Charles Tebbutt, Western Environmental Law Center, Eugene, Oregon, for Petitioners.  Alan D. Greenberg, United States Department Of Justice, Denver, Colorado, for Respondent.  Claudia M. O'Brien, Latham & Watkins, Washington, D.C., Kirsten L. Nathanson, Crowell & Moring, Washington, D.C., for Intervenors.   ON BRIEF:  Charles Tebbutt, Western Environmental Law Center, Eugene, Oregon, Lauren E. Brown, Waterkeeper Alliance, Irvington, New York, Daniel E. Estrin, Pace Environmental Litigation Clinic, White Plains, New York, Reed W. Super, Morningside Heights Legal Services, Inc., Columbia University School of Law, New York, New York, Charles C. Caldart, National Environmental Law Center, Seatle, Washington, Steven Schatzow, Law Offices of Steven Schatzow, Washington, D.C., for Petitioners.  Alan D. Greenberg, United States Department of Justice, Denver, Colorado, for Respondent.  Claudia M. O'Brien, Kenneth W. Weinstein, Davis B. Tyner, Latham & Watkins, Washington, D.C., Kirsten L. Nathanson, Ellen Steen, Crowell & Moring, Washington, D.C., for Intervenors.  Elliot Silverman, McDormott Will & Emery LLP, Irvine, California, for Amicus Curiae.