United States Ninth Circuit

Mussel shells, and biological materials emitted from mussels grown on harvesting rafts, do not constitute the discharge of "pollutants" under the Clean Water Act. A non-profit organization had a right of citizen suit to challenge company's operation under the Clean Water Act.

Appellate Information

• Argued 01/10/2002
• Decided 08/06/2002
• Published 08/06/2002

Judges

• Before: THOMAS, GRABER and GOULD, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Ninth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Jennifer A. Dold and David S. Mann, Bricklin & Gendler, LLP, Seattle, WA, for the plaintiff-appellant., Joseph J. Mann, National Environmental Law Center, Boston, MA;  F. Robert Studdert, National Fisheries Institute, Inverness, CA;  Sylvia Quast, U.S. Department of Justice, Environment and Natural Resources Division, Washington, DC;  Lori A. Howell, Maine Aquaculture Association, Eliot, ME;  and Ronald L. Lavigne, Assistant Attorney General, State of Washington, Department of Ecology, Olympia, WA, for the amici curiae.


• For Appellees:
  
• Samuel W. Plauche, Buck & Gordon, Seattle, WA, for the defendant-appellee.