Supreme Court Agrees to Hear LA County Stormwater Pollution Case

WASHINGTON (June 25, 2012) The Supreme Court today agreed to hear an appeal by  Los Angeles County of a lower court decision that required the county to clean up two polluted waterways in Los Angeles.

The lawsuit initiated by the Natural Resources Defense Council and Santa Monica Baykeeper in 2008 sought to hold the County responsible for documented violations of the Clean Water Act in the Los Angeles and San Gabriel Rivers since 2003.

“We look forward to presenting our arguments to the Court, and we believe that all of the evidence and the previous court rulings confirm the County’s history of Clean Water Act violations,” said Steve Fleischli, senior attorney with NRDC. “We want the County to clean up its rivers and beaches and we’ll fight to address this persistent pollution problem, which affects millions of people who visit and enjoy L.A.’s popular beaches each year.”

“This presents another opportunity to demonstrate the County’s ongoing attempts to avoid responsibility for pollution in Los Angeles,” said Liz Crosson, executive director of Santa Monica Baykeeper.  “We are confident the Court will uphold the circuit court’s decision that LA County must finally address its pollution problem. It is time that L.A. County is held accountable for the public health impacts and ecological damage its stormwater pollution creates.”

Related Links

LA County Ordered to Clean Up Water Pollution http://www.nrdc.org/media/2011/110310d.asp

Lawsuit Charges L.A. County with Failing Clean Water Standards www.nrdc.org/media/2008/080303.asp