BB&K Team’s CEQA Appellate Victory in Water Transfer Project

Best Best & Krieger LLP attorneys Michelle Ouellette, Sarah Owsowitz and Jennifer Lynch, representing Santa Margarita Water District, successfully beat CEQA challenges to a proposed public-private partnership project to pump fresh groundwater. Landowner Cadiz, Inc. and the District want to prevent the waste of the water in a Mojave Desert aquifer, which would evaporate if left, and transfer it to water customers throughout Southern California.

The Fourth District Court of Appeal’s opinion, issued Tuesday, was reported on in the following:

• "Cadiz Water Project in Mojave Desert Wins Big in Appellate,” The San Bernardino Sun
• “California Court Upholds Large Urban Water Transfer,” The Associated Press (via the Washington Times)
• “Cadiz, Inc. Wins Groundwater Dispute in Appellate Court Decision,” Daily Journal
• "Calif. Court Clears Mojave Water Project's Hurdles," Courthouse News Service
• "Court Upholds Plan to Pump Desert Water for LA," Central Valley Business Times
• “Plan to Pump Water from Mojave Survives Court Challenges,” The Desert Sun

Also...

"Sweeping Six-Case Win For Water District Helps Secure Orange County’s Water Supply," by Michelle Ouellette, Orange County Lawyer Magazine

A BB&K Legal Alert can be found here.

Click here to read the court opinion.

If you have questions about this case, please contact Sarah Owsowitz.