Source: http://ca.findacase.com/research/wfrmDocViewer.aspx/xq/fac.20030516_0000413.NCA.htm/qx
Timestamp: 2017-11-18 10:41:03
Document Index: 432843431

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 1251', '§ 13200', '§ 13225', '§ 13201', '§ 13220', '§ 13223', '§ 13240', '§ 13245', '§ 13246', '§ 13245', '§ 11340', '§ 551', '§ 601', '§ 801']

The Clean Water Act ("CWA"), 33 U.S.C. § 1251-1387, utilizes two fundamental approaches to control water pollution: technology-based regulations and water quality standards. Technology-based regulations seek to reduce pollution by requiring a discharger to effectuate equipment or process changes, without reference to the effect on the receiving water; water quality standards fix the permissible level of pollution in a specific body of water regardless of the source of pollution.
TMDLs established under Section 303(d)(1) of the CWA function primarily as planning devices and are not self-executing. Pronsolino v. Nastri, 291 F.3d 1123, 1129 (9th Cir. 2002) ("TMDLs are primarily informational tools that allow the states to proceed from the identification of waters requiring additional planning to the required plans.") (citing Alaska Ctr. for the Env't v. Browner, 20 F.3d 981, 984-85 (9th Cir. 1994)). A TMDL does not, by itself, prohibit any conduct or require any actions. Instead, each TMDL represents a goal that may be implemented by adjusting pollutant discharge requirements in individual NPDES permits or establishing nonpoint source controls. See. e.g., Sierra Club v. Meiburg, 296 F.3d 1021, 1025 (11th Cir. 2002) ("Each TMDL serves as the goal for the level of that pollutant in the waterbody to which that TMDL applies. . . . The theory is that individual-discharge permits will be adjusted and other measures taken so that the sum of that pollutant in the waterbody is reduced to the level specified by the TMDL."); Idaho Sportsmen's Coalition v. Browner, 951 F. Supp. 962, 966 (W.D. Wash. 1996) ("TMDL development in itself does not reduce pollution. . . . TMDLs inform the design and implementation of pollution control measures."); Pronsolino, 291 F.3d at 1129 ("TMDLs serve as a link in an implementation chain that includes . . . state or local plans for point and nonpoint source pollution reduction. . . ."); Idaho Conservation League v. Thomas, 91 F.3d 1345, 1347 (9th Cir. 1996) (noting that a TMDL sets a goal for reducing pollutants). Thus, a TMDL forms the basis for further administrative actions that may require or prohibit conduct with respect to particularized pollutant discharges and waterbodies.
The Porter-Cologne Act established nine California Regional Water Quality Control Boards (individually, a "Regional Board"; collectively, the "Regional Boards"), Cal. Water Code §§ 13200, 13201, which operate under the purview of the State Board, see id. § 13225. Each Regional Board is comprised of nine members, id. § 13201, and is required to appoint an executive officer, id. § 13220(c), to whom the Regional Board may delegate all but some of its powers and duties, id. § 13223. Each Regional Board is required to formulate and adopt water quality control plans for all areas within the region. Id. § 13240. The State Board may approve such plan, or it may return it to the Regional Board for further submission and resubmission to the State Board. Id. § 13245. It must act on any water quality control plan within 60 days of a Regional Board's submission of such plan to the State Board, or 90 days after resubmission of such plan. Id. § 13246. A water quality control plan will not become effective unless and until it is approved by the State Board, followed by approval by the state's Office of Administrative Law ("OAL") in accordance with the appropriate procedures. Id. § 13245; Cal. Gov't Code §§ 11340.2, 11349.3, 11353(b)(5).
Under the provisions of the TMDLs now in effect — the State Trash TMDLs — the numeric target is zero trash in the Los Angeles River. (Dickerson Decl. Ex. A at 16, 29.) Based on this target, California has determined that the wasteload allocations for trash in the Los Angeles River also must be zero. (Id.)
To achieve this goal, California has provided, along with the State Trash TMDLs, implementation provisions that specify a phasing-in of progressive reductions in municipal stormwater wasteload allocations over a ten-year period, following completion of a two-year initial baseline monitoring period. (Id. Ex. A at 21.) While the baseline monitoring program is taking place, cities will be deemed to be in compliance with the wasteload allocations provided that all of the trash that is collected during this period is disposed of in compliance with all applicable regulations. (Id. Ex. A at 27.) A baseline monitoring report is due to the Los Angeles Regional Board by February 15, 2004. (Id. ¶ 6.)*fn6
The State Trash TMDLs and incremental wasteload allocations will be implemented through the Los Angeles stormwater permit, which the Los Angeles Regional Board will need to amend to incorporate specific, enforceable permit requirements. (Id. ¶ 8.)*fn7 The implementation ions in the TMDLs allow permittees to "employ a variety of strategies to meet the progressive reductions in their Waste Load Allocations" and maintain that they "are free to implement trash reduction in any manner they choose." (Id. Ex. A at 29.) The wasteload reduction strategies are broadly classified as either end-of-pipe full capture structural controls, partial capture control systems, and/or institutional controls. (Id.) The provisions state that permittees will be deemed to be in compliance with the final wasteload allocation for their associated drainage areas if they utilize "full capture systems" that are adequately sized and maintained and maintenance records are available for inspection by the Los Angeles Regional Board. (Id. Ex. A at 30.)
4. The Instant Action
Plaintiffs filed their initial complaint on June 28, 2002, in the United States District Court for the Central District of California. On August 30, 2002, they filed an amended complaint. On October 30, 2002, the case was transferred to this Court, the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. Pursuant to the parties' stipulation and the Court's Order thereon, Plaintiffs filed a Second Amended Complaint for Injunctive and Declaratory Relief (the "SAC" or "Complaint") on December 12, 2002.
The SAC is the operative complaint for purposes of the Motion to Dismiss and the Motion for Partial Summary Judgment. The SAC purports to assert three claims for relief. The First Claim for Relief is ostensibly brought pursuant to a provision of the Administrative Procedure Act (the "APA"), 5 U.S.C. &sect; 706, (SAC at 34), although certain allegations thereunder also invoke the CWA, the Regulatory Flexibility Act (the "RFA"), and the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 (the "SBREFA"), (id. &para;&para; 84-85).*fn8 The First Claim for Relief alleges several violations of the APA: (1) EPA acted without authority and acted arbitrarily and capriciously by establishing the EPA Trash TMDLs prior to receiving for review the State Trash TMDLs, (SAC &para;&para; 78-79); (2) EPA acted without authority and arbitrarily and capriciously by reviewing and approving the State Trash TMDLs because EPA had already established the EPA Trash TMDLs, (id &para;&para; 80, 83); (3) EPA acted arbitrarily and capriciously and in excess of its jurisdiction with regard to the manner by which it established the EPA Trash TMDLs, (id. &para;&para; 81-82); (4) the collective actions of California and EPA relating to issuance of the EPA Trash TMDLs and subsequent approval of the State Trash TMDLs constitute a "de facto TMDL procedure" that is arbitrary, capricious, and contrary to law, (id. &para; 84-86);*fn9 and (5) EPA acted arbitrarily and capriciously by approving the State Trash TMDLs because those TMDLs were "patently defective" and established not in accordance with the procedures of the CWA and California law, (id. &para; 87).*fn10 The Second Claim for Relief challenges the validity of two alleged agency actions, the EPA Trash TMDLs and the "de facto TMDL procedure," under the APA, 5 U.S.C. § 551 et seq.; the RFA, 5 U.S.C. § 601 et seq.; and the SBREFA, 5 U.S.C. § 801 et seq. (SAC at 40; id. ¶¶ 89-99.) The violations alleged under the Second Claim for Relief, ...