The United States Supreme Court will hear two cases about forest roads under the Clean Water Act.

On June 25^th, The United States Supreme Court announced that it will consolidate and hear two cases (Decker v. Northwest Environmental Defense Center and Georgia-Pacific West, Inc. v. Northwest Environmental Defense Center) about the classification of forest roads under the Clean Water Act. Previously, the Ninth Circuit held that the rainwater running off of forest roads was considered point pollution. The ninth circuit ruling means that forest roads are now required to be regulated under the federal National Pollution Discharge Elimination System.

Written by Joseph Negaard, Research Assistant

Penn State Law, Agricultural Law Center

June 29, 2012

Click here for the ninth circuit decision, briefs and amicus briefs filed in Decker.

Click here for the ninth circuit decision, briefs and amicus briefs filed in George-Pacific West Inc.