National Wildlife Federation v. Laubscher, Civ. A. No. G-86-37.
| Court | United States District Courts. 5th Circuit. United States District Courts. 5th Circuit. Southern District of Texas |
| Writing for the Court | HUGH GIBSON |
| Citation | 662 F. Supp. 548 |
| Decision Date | 26 May 1987 |
| Docket Number | Civ. A. No. G-86-37. |
| Parties | NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION, et al., v. Alan L. LAUBSCHER, et al. |
662 F. Supp. 548
NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION, et al.,
v.
Alan L. LAUBSCHER, et al.
Civ. A. No. G-86-37.
United States District Court, S.D. Texas, Galveston Division.
May 26, 1987.
Jerry Jackson, National Wildlife Federation, Washington, D.C., Robert M. Moore, Galveston, Tex., for plaintiffs.
Lawrence R. Liebesman, Michael Rowe, U.S. Dept. of Justice, Environmental Defense Section, Land and Natural Resources Div., Washington, D.C., Neal King, King, Guerra and Davis, Mission, Tex., for defendants.
MEMORANDUM AND ORDER
HUGH GIBSON, District Judge.
This case can be succinctly stated in interrogatory form: Do the federal defendants, the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers, have jurisdiction pursuant to the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq., over a South Texas pond1 visited by migratory birds? If yes, is the declaratory and injunctive relief sought by plaintiffs, the National Wildlife Federation, the Sierra Club, the Frontera Audubon Society and Patricia Bacak-Clements, appropriate?
The first of the above two questions, which deals with agency jurisdiction, has become a non-issue. Both sides of the docket have concluded that a wetland visited by migratory birds is a wetland within the jurisdiction of the federal defendants. The Court, therefore, DECLARES, as requested by plaintiffs, that Pond 12 is a wetland within the jurisdiction of both the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers.
The Court, having determined that the Corps has jurisdiction over Pond 12, now addresses the issue of whether plaintiffs have standing to seek injunctive relief. As to Pond 12, plaintiffs have "such a personal stake in the outcome of the controversy as to assure that concrete adverseness which sharpens the presentation of issues." Baker v. Carr, 369 U.S. 186, 82 S.Ct. 691, 7 L.Ed.2d 663 (1962). The plaintiffs, however, in seeking injunctive relief from this Court to have the federal defendants assert jurisdiction over "all" wetlands that meet the scientific, regulatory definition of wetland, see supra n. 1, without regard to their affect on interstate commerce have no such "personal stake" in the outcome of the "controversy" that would distinguish them from any other individual or class of individuals as to the alleged harm that would be suffered. See Valley Forge Christian College v. Americans United for Separation of Church and State, Inc., 454 U.S. 464, 102 S.Ct. 752, 70 L.Ed.2d 700 (1982). In short, the plaintiffs have no standing as to the...
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Holy Cross Wilderness Fund v. Madigan, No. 90-1252
...Ass'n v. Marsh, 815 F.2d 949 (3rd Cir.1987); Sierra Club v. Train, 557 F.2d 485 (5th Cir.1977); National Wildlife Fed'n v. Laubscher, 662 F.Supp. 548 (S.D.Tex.1987)). The Fund argues the application of that line of authority could "effectively bar meaningful citizen review of Corps mitigati......
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What Wetlands Are Regulated? Jurisdiction of the §404 Program
...over isolated waters). 80. National Wildlife Fed’n v. Laubscher, No. G-86-37, 17 ELR 20891 (S.D. Tex. 1987) (magistrate’s opinion); 662 F. Supp. 548, 17 ELR 20892 (S.D. Tex. 1987) (court opinion). 75. H.R. 2421, 110 Cong. (1st Sess. 2007). 76. 110 Cong. (1st Sess. 2007). 77. 111 Cong. (1st ......
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Review of Adverse Decisions
...against citizen suits alleging its failure to enforce the terms and conditions of §404 permits); Nat’l Wildlife Fed’n v. Laubscher, 662 F. Supp. 548, 550, 17 ELR 20892 (S.D. Tex. 1987); Sierra Club v. Train 557 F.2d 485, 7 ELR 20670 (5th Cir. 1977). But see Envtl. Def. Fund v. Tidwell, 837 ......
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List of Case Citations
........................ 110, 135 National Wildlife Fed’n v. Laubscher, No. G-86-37, 17 ELR 20891 (S.D. Tex. 1987) (magistrate’s opinion); 662 F. Supp. 548, 17 ELR 20892 (S.D. Tex. 1987) (court opinion) ................. 22, 109 National Wildlife Fed’n v. Marsh, 568 F. Supp. 985, 13 ELR 20738 ......
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Holy Cross Wilderness Fund v. Madigan, No. 90-1252
...Ass'n v. Marsh, 815 F.2d 949 (3rd Cir.1987); Sierra Club v. Train, 557 F.2d 485 (5th Cir.1977); National Wildlife Fed'n v. Laubscher, 662 F.Supp. 548 (S.D.Tex.1987)). The Fund argues the application of that line of authority could "effectively bar meaningful citizen review of Corps mitigati......
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Save Our Community v. USEPA, Civ. A. No. 3-90-0799-H.
...final agency action under the CWA subject to this Court's review. 5 U.S.C. §§ 702, 704; National Wildlife Federation v. Laubscher, 662 F.Supp. 548, 550 (S.D. Tex.1987) (determination by Corps based on an alleged incorrect interpretation of statutory language and regulations subject to judic......
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Tabb Lakes, Ltd. v. US, Civ. A. No. 87-635-N.
...the District should have asserted jurisdiction if it followed his 1985 Memorandum. Id.; see National Wildlife Federation v. Laubscher, 662 F.Supp. 548 Accordingly, we find that General Kelly's November 8, 1985 far-reaching Memorandum did not fall within any exceptions but instead required a......
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What Wetlands Are Regulated? Jurisdiction of the §404 Program
...over isolated waters). 80. National Wildlife Fed’n v. Laubscher, No. G-86-37, 17 ELR 20891 (S.D. Tex. 1987) (magistrate’s opinion); 662 F. Supp. 548, 17 ELR 20892 (S.D. Tex. 1987) (court opinion). 75. H.R. 2421, 110 Cong. (1st Sess. 2007). 76. 110 Cong. (1st Sess. 2007). 77. 111 Cong. (1st ......
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Review of Adverse Decisions
...against citizen suits alleging its failure to enforce the terms and conditions of §404 permits); Nat’l Wildlife Fed’n v. Laubscher, 662 F. Supp. 548, 550, 17 ELR 20892 (S.D. Tex. 1987); Sierra Club v. Train 557 F.2d 485, 7 ELR 20670 (5th Cir. 1977). But see Envtl. Def. Fund v. Tidwell, 837 ......
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List of Case Citations
........................ 110, 135 National Wildlife Fed’n v. Laubscher, No. G-86-37, 17 ELR 20891 (S.D. Tex. 1987) (magistrate’s opinion); 662 F. Supp. 548, 17 ELR 20892 (S.D. Tex. 1987) (court opinion) ................. 22, 109 National Wildlife Fed’n v. Marsh, 568 F. Supp. 985, 13 ELR 20738 ......
-
What Wetlands Are Regulated? Jurisdiction of the §404 Program
...over isolated waters). 84. National Wildlife Fed’n v. Laubscher, No. G-86-37, 17 ELR 20891 (S.D. Tex. 1987) (magistrate’s opinion); 662 F. Supp. 548, 17 ELR 20892 (S.D. Tex. 1987) (court opinion). 85. 51 Fed. Reg. 41206, 41217 (Nov. 13, 1986). 86. Memorandum from Brigadier General Patrick J......