Washington AG Filed Motion to Intervene in Lawsuit against U.S. Navy Over Clean Water Act Violations in Puget Sound
MARCH 20, 2019
Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson filed a motion to intervene in litigation brought by environmental groups and a Native American tribe challenging the U.S. Navy’s release of pollutants into the Puget Sound. The lawsuit alleged that the Navy released the equivalent of fifty dump truck loads of pollutants, including copper and zinc, into the Sound when it scraped the hull of a ship in January 2017. Copper and zinc are highly toxic to marine life, and the Navy lacked a permit to lawfully discharge the pollutants into the Sound.
- Documents: Motion to InterveneWA Press Release
- Document Type: Motions Press Releases/Statements
- States: Washington
- Agencies: Department of Defense
- Issues: Clean Water Act Climate Adaptation & Resilience Climate Liability Natural Resources Oceans and Water Policy Public Lands & Wildlife Toxics Water Water Pollution Wildlife
- Era: Trump Administration
- Outcome: Win
- Explanation of Outcome:The court issued a consent decree requiring a 10 year moratorium on hull cleaning by the US Navy and requiring that the Navy mitigate the harmed water space by laying down a new sand floor.
- Action Type: Litigation