California Stormwater Defense

Citizen Suits at a Constitutional Crossroads

If you have ever received a 60-Day Notice under the Clean Water Act (CWA), you know the drill. A private plaintiff sends the letter. The government rarely steps in. The plaintiff files suit, seeks civil penalties and...

El Niño Is Coming: What California Industrial Facilities Need to Know About Stormwater Compliance

In the middle of a dry California summer, stormwater runoff feels like the furthest thing from anyone’s mind. Yet for industrial...

“A Cottage Industry”: The Economics of CWA Citizen Suit Enforcement

Citizen suits under the Clean Water Act were designed to supplement government enforcement, allowing private parties to step in...

The Environmental Plaintiffs: A Guide to the Organizations Filing Stormwater Citizen Suits in California

If you operate an industrial facility in California, it helps to know who might be on the other side of a 60-Day Notice....

Strict Liability Under the CWA: What It Means for Industrial Stormwater Dischargers

If you are an industrial facility operator in California, there is a legal reality about the Clean Water Act that catches many...

The 60-Day Notice: What It Is, What It Means, and What to Do When You Get One

If you operate an industrial facility in California, there is a letter you never want to receive but increasingly might. It is...

Did CCSF Actually Change Anything? Why citizen-suit plaintiffs appear to be enforcing receiving water violations as if the Supreme Court never ruled, and what comes next.

In March 2025, the Supreme Court handed industrial dischargers what looked like a landmark victory. In City and County of San...