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Ryan Waterman represents clients through all phases of the land use entitlement process and CEQA/NEPA environmental review and defends approvals against litigation in the trial and appellate courts. He is proficient in California's water supply sufficiency laws (SB 221/SB 610) and counsels clients before the State and Regional Water Boards on water quality, groundwater, industrial storm water permitting and construction storm water permitting, and site cleanup matters involving the Clean Water Act, Porter-Cologne Act and CERCLA, including developing policy issues. In addition, Ryan offers strategic advice on the California Global Warming Solutions Act (AB 32) and specializes in the state's cap-and-trade regulatory regime. He also represents clients on a range of administrative environmental compliance matters before air and water boards.

In Roberson v. City of Rialto, No. E058187 (Cal. Ct. App. 4th Dist., May 21, 2014), the Fourth Appellate District affirmed the trial court’s judgment, upholding several project approvals for a new commercial retail center in the City of Rialto (City), including a Wal-Mart supercenter.  The appellate court denied Roberson’s petition for writ of

In North Coast Rivers Alliance v. Westlands Water District, No. FO67383 (Cal. Ct. App. 5th Dist. July 3, 2014), the Fifth Appellate District upheld the Westland Water District and its related distribution districts’ (Water Districts) conclusion that their approval of the 2012 interim renewal contracts with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Bureau) for Central Valley Project (CVP) water was statutorily and categorically exempt from CEQA.  We consider the historical context of the Water Districts’ contracts along with the significance of the Court’s ruling below.Continue Reading CEQA Exemption Update: Westland Water District Two-Year Contract Renewals Ruled Exempt from CEQA Requirements

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service (jointly, the “Services”) recently issued several interrelated proposals that address how critical habitat would be designated under the Endangered Species Act (“ESA”).

The Legal Alert analyzing the Services’ proposals, prepared by our colleagues Barbara Craig, Jeff Leppo, Ryan Steen, and Corinna McMackin, is available

By Ryan R. Waterman, Parissa Ebrahimzadeh

What does California have planned for the year 2020? An ambitious collection of energy related goals. Stoel Rives attorneys Ryan Waterman and Parissa Ebrahimzadeh explore nine California energy policy goals in an article entitled “California’s “Magic” Number: Nine Goals for 2020 and Where We May Go From There,” published

At one time or another, in almost every jurisdiction around the state, on the day before an important project land use hearing, an opponent of the project has submitted a lengthy comment letter (often accompanied by voluminous attachments) alleging that the environmental analysis does not comply with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).  The lead

Today, the State Water Resources Control Board (State Board) released for public comment its Draft Industrial Storm Water Permit and supporting documents.  This is the fourth (and likely final) version of the Draft Industrial Storm Water Permit, which is designed to replace the existing Industrial Storm Water Permit in place since 1997.

The Draft

In Latinos Unidos de Napa v. City of Napa, the First Appellate District affirmed the City of Napa’s determination that it need not prepare an EIR to analyze revisions to the City’s housing element of its general plan because the environmental effects had previously been analyzed in a 1998 Program EIR.

Latinos Unidos de