Analyzing the EPA’s Draft Memorandum on Maui v. Hawaii Wildlife Fund

In April, 2020, the United States Supreme Court held that, in certain situations, the Clean Water Act requires Section 402 permits for point source discharges that travel through groundwater to reach navigable waters. According to the Court, a permit is required if the discharge is the "functional equivalent of a direct discharge from the point source into navigable waters." This month, the EPA issued a draft memorandum to help apply the Maui decision and clarify what is required for a "functional equivalent" analysis. What does this draft guidance cover and is it consistent with the Maui decision? Is the guidance helpful to regulated entities and what changes should be considered? Join us as we discuss this critical new guidance that seeks to help to make sense of the Maui decision.

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-- Damien Schiff, Senior Attorney, Pacific Legal Foundation