DISCHARGER APPEALS COURT'S 'WATER QUALITY CERTIFICATION' RULING

Industry and local government officials have appealed a federal court ruling that if upheld could require states to certify that grazing, mining, roadbuilding and other activities on federal lands do not violate water quality standards. The U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon, in the case of The Oregon Natural Desert Association v. United States Forest Service (Civil No. 94-522-HA), ruled Sept. 27 that Clean Water Act Section 401 requires states to assure that permitted activities on federal lands...