Natural Resources Law Commons^™

A Right Without A Remedy: The Court’S Failure To Quantify The Agua Caliente’S Federal Reserved Water Rights, Lauren Block

Washington Law Review

The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians has inhabited the Coachella Valley region since time immemorial. Through a series of 1870s executive orders, the United States government reserved land for the Tribe to establish a permanent home within the bounds of their ancestral homeland. Underlying this permanent home is the Coachella Valley aquifer, a groundwater source that has been in a continuous state of overdraft for decades. Against the backdrop of climate change, water scarcity, and other concerns, the Tribe sued Coachella Valley’s water management agencies in 2013, alleging the Tribe owned a portion of the water in the aquifer …

Getting Our House In Order: Mapping The Unconstitutional Conditions Doctrine Onto Washington’S Inclusionary Zoning Policies After Sheetz V. County Of El Dorado, John “Jack” Haskins

Washington Law Review

The unconstitutional conditions doctrine dictates what a government can and cannot do when exercising its police powers to promote community interests. Recent Supreme Court jurisprudence highlights a special application of the doctrine in the land use context, with Sheetz v. County of El Dorado recognizing constitutional scrutiny of legislative decisions. After decades of using its own analysis, Washington courts now use the federal approach in these cases. Land use exists at the forefront of Washington policies and the state maintains a sharp focus on the affordable housing crisis. One approach enacted at the local and state level is mandatory inclusionary …

The Supreme Court’S Old Habits In A New Era? Native Nations, Statehood, And An Indigenous-Led Future For Natural Resources, Monte Mills

Articles

art I of this essay looks back and, relying on Winans and Winters, illustrates the Court’s longstanding commitment to a recognition of tribally reserved rights while requiring a collaborative approach that acknowledges some state interest and authority. Part II then briefly assesses the modern era of Indigenous leadership in natural resources, reviewing the ways in which Native Nations are implementing a new framework of collaborative stewardship for lands, waters, wildlife, and other ecological systems. Finally, Part III considers how the lessons or impacts of this broader movement might be relevant in future conflicts raising questions of statehood and tribal …

Planning A New Paradigm: Tribal Co-Stewardship And Federal Public Lands Planning, Monte Mills, Martin Nie

Articles

Planning is a critical part of the federal government’s management of the nation’s public lands. Over the last half century, Congress has mandated that each of the four major public land management agencies; the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the National Park Service, develop and rely on plans to guide their oversight of public lands and resources. Virtually every activity or decision affecting these public lands can be traced back to language in—or missing from—a plan. But, despite the importance of planning, the process by which each agency develops and …

Pursuing The Exemption: The Makah's White Whale, Sarah Van Voorhis

Washington Journal of Social & Environmental Justice

No abstract provided.

Putting The Public Back In The Public Trust Doctrine: A Reinterpretation To Advance Native Hawaiian Water Rights, Steven Hindman

Washington Law Review

The public trust doctrine guarantees that the government will hold natural resources in trust and protect them for the common good. The doctrine has played a key role in the allocation of water rights, particularly for Native American and Native Hawaiian interests in the United States. State and federal courts often consider the doctrine when deciding if certain use rights should be granted. In Hawai‘i, the doctrine has taken on a particularly robust form because the State Constitution expressly provides that all public natural resources are to be held in trust for the benefit of all Hawaiians. Unfortunately, the doctrine’s …

Bridges To A New Era Part 2: A Report On The Past, Present, And Potential Future Of Tribal Co-Management On Federal Lands In Alaska, Monte Mills, Martin Nie

Articles

Nowhere else in the United States are tribal connections and reliance on federal public lands as deep and geographically broad-based as in what is now Alaska. The number of Tribes—229 federally recognized tribes—and the scope of the public land resource—nearly 223 million acres—are simply unparalleled. Across that massive landscape, federal public lands and the subsistence uses they provide remain, as they have been since time immemorial, “essential to Native physical, economic, traditional, and cultural existence.”^[1] Alas, the institutions, systems, and processes responsible for managing those lands, protecting those uses, and honoring those connections are failing Alaska Native Tribes.

The …

Petition For Writ Of Certiorari

Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe and Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe v. Lummi Nation, Docket No. 21-913 (142 S.Ct. 1123 (2022))

No abstract provided.

Community Empowerment In Decarbonization: Nepa’S Role, Wyatt G. Sassman

Washington Law Review

This Article addresses a potential tension between two ambitions for the transition to clean energy: reducing regulatory red-tape to quickly build out renewable energy, and leveraging that build-out to empower low-income communities and communities of color. Each ambition carries a different view of communities’ role in decarbonization. To those focused on rapid build-out of renewable energy infrastructure, communities are a potential threat who could slow or derail renewable energy projects through opposition during the regulatory process. To those focused on leveraging the transition to clean energy to advance racial and economic justice, communities are necessary partners in the key decisions …

Water Banks In Washington State: A Tool For Climate Resilience, Jennifer J. Seely

Washington Law Review

Water banks—a tool for exchanging senior water rights and offsetting new ones—can address multiple problems in contemporary water law. In the era of climate change, water banks enable needed flexibility and resilience in water allocation. As growing cities require new water rights, water banks can repurpose old water for new uses. These advantages should lead the Washington State Legislature to incentivize water banks, but in the 2018 “Hirst fix” it embraced habitat restoration as a false equivalent for water. The Legislature is rightfully concerned about the speculation that some private water banks allow. But overall, water banks enable new and …

Finding Better Words: Markets, Property, Rights, And Resources, Andrew P. Morriss, Roger E. Meiners, Bruce Yandle

Washington Journal of Environmental Law & Policy

To use or conserve environmental and natural resources effectively is complex. Many economists believe that institutional solutions built around markets and property rights can help improve results. This approach addresses what Peruvian economist Hernando de Soto termed the “missing lessons of U.S. history”— institutions whose designers may not have understood the outcomes that would occur, but the results were generally beneficial. However, technical economic analysis generally fails to persuade many at the policy level. Adding a focus on the practicality of solving issues by voluntary action will enrich the policy discussions. To do so requires economists to provide concrete examples …

Of Hatcheries And Habitat: Old And New Conservation Assumptions In The Pacific Salmon Treaty, Paul Stanton Kibel

Washington Journal of Environmental Law & Policy

The 1985 Pacific Salmon Treaty between Canada and the United States was negotiated to deal with evidence that Pacific salmon stocks originating in Canada and the United States were in decline. The Pacific Salmon Treaty sought to establish total annual fishing limits for Canada and the United States that were consistent with the sustainable conservation of Pacific salmon stocks, and to base the total allowable catch for Canadian fishermen on forecasts of the total abundance of salmon. As the Pacific Salmon Treaty has been implemented, however, there has been a re-occurring pattern of annual abundance forecasts overestimating the actual abundance …

Mining At The Crossroads Of Law And Development: A Comparative Review Of Labor-Related Local Content Provisions In Africa's Mining Laws Through The Prism Of Automation, Nneoma Veronica Nwogu

Washington International Law Journal

Africa boasts one-third of the world’s mineral resources. Mineral development, if governed by appropriate legal frameworks, is key to facilitating development in Africa. With this realization, the African Union (AU) adopted the Africa Mining Vision (AMV) in 2009, which aims to prioritize African industrialization, safeguard the environment, build and utilize local labor force capacity, facilitate transparency, and improve revenue-sharing mechanisms in Africa. However, at the same time, the dawn of artificial intelligence (AI) and complex levels of automation is making quick inroads into the mineral development sector. This article argues that, in response to the AMV, over half of Africa’s …

Trapped In The Goddess's Mousetrap: Equitable Solutions For Poverty Poaching Of Venus Flytraps, Katrina Outland

Washington Journal of Environmental Law & Policy

Most discussions of poaching—the intentional, unlawful taking or killing of a living organism—focus on animals. However, poaching is also the primary threat for many prized collectible plants. The bizarre Venus flytrap has particularly drawn media attention as North Carolina struggles to save its endemic State Carnivorous Plant from extinction. Existing federal plant protection laws are sparse and either ineffective (in the case of the Endangered Species Act) or underutilized (in the case of the Lacey Act). Traditional poaching enforcement methods, which target individual poachers with small fines, are designed for animal poaching, and fail to adequately protect plants. Not only …

Motion For Leave To File Amicus Curiae Brief And Brief Of United Catcher Boats As Amicus Curiae In Support Of Petitioner - Makah Indian Tribe V. Quileute Indian Tribe And Quinault Indian Nation, Docket No. 17-1592 (139 S.Ct. 106 (2018))

Makah Indian Tribe v. Quileute Indian Tribe and Quinault Indian Nation, Docket No. 17-1592 (139 S.Ct. 106 (2018))

No abstract provided.

Brief Of Respondent State Of Washington Department Of Fish And Wildlife In Support Of Petition For Writ Of Certiorari - Makah Indian Tribe V. Quileute Indian Tribe And Quinault Indian Nation, Docket No. 17-1592 (139 S.Ct. 106 (2018))

Makah Indian Tribe v. Quileute Indian Tribe and Quinault Indian Nation, Docket No. 17-1592 (139 S.Ct. 106 (2018))

No abstract provided.

Reply Brief For The Petitioner - Washington V. United States, Docket No. 17-269 (138 S.Ct. 735 (2018))

Washington v. United States, Docket No. 17-269 (138 S.Ct. 735 (2018))

No abstract provided.

Brief Amicus Curiae On Behalf Of Pacific Coast Federation Of Fishermen’S Associations, Alaska Trollers Association, Institute For Fisheries Resources, Fly Fishers International, Northwest Sportfishing Industry Association, Northwest Guides And Anglers Association - Washington V. United States, Docket No. 17-269 (138 S.Ct. 735 (2018)) Association Of Northwest Steelheaders, And The Conservation Angler In Support Of Respondents

Washington v. United States, Docket No. 17-269 (138 S.Ct. 735 (2018))

No abstract provided.

Biodiversity Conservation In The National Forests, And The 2012 Planning Rule, Gordon Steinhoff

Washington Journal of Environmental Law & Policy

The U.S. Forest Service is required to manage the national forests for multiple use, including outdoor recreation, timber production, and more recently, biodiversity conservation. National forest management plans throughout the country are currently being revised under the 2012 Planning Rule. As will be discussed, the 2012 rule provides the Agency with high levels of discretion and management flexibility. The rule does not require maintaining viable populations of all native plant and animal species. The Agency is required to conserve viable populations of “species of conservation concern,” yet the Regional Forester is granted sole discretion in designating these species. The 2012 …

Petition For Writ Of Certiorari - Washington V. United States, Docket No. 17-269 (138 S.Ct. 735 (2018))

Washington v. United States, Docket No. 17-269 (138 S.Ct. 735 (2018))

No abstract provided.

Arctic Law & Policy Year In Review: 2016, Arctic Law & Policy Institute, University Of Washington

Washington Journal of Environmental Law & Policy

According to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, with a boost by El Niño, 2016 set new records for global temperatures, capping three consecutive years of record global warming. In Alaska, for example, the average temperature was 31.9 degrees Fahrenheit — 5.9 degrees above the long-term average. The globally averaged sea surface temperature was the highest on record at 1.35° F above average. The globally averaged land surface temperature was also the highest on record at 2.57° F above average. The NOAA report records that in 2016 the Arctic experienced some of its highest air temperatures, least sea-ice (averaging …

Foreword: A ‘Coyote Warrior’ And The ‘Great Paradoxes,’ The Scholarship Of Professor Raymond Cross, Monte Mills

Articles

This Foreword to the Public Land and Resources Law Review special issue republishing and celebrating the scholarship of Professor Raymond Cross provides a context and framework for understanding and appreciating the issue's articles. The Foreword reviews Professor Cross' legacy of work as a tribal attorney on behalf of the Three Affiliated Tribes (Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara) of the Fort Berthold Reservation and discusses the important contributions his scholarly work continue to make to the field of Federal Indian Law. As noted at the conclusion of the Foreword, "[i]t is a true honor to introduce and present some of his important …

Ocean Acidification As A Problem In Systems Thinking, Terrie Klinger, Jan Newton

Washington Journal of Environmental Law & Policy

The emerging problem of ocean acidification provides a clear signal that we need to think and act differently about our stewardship of the ocean, its resources, and the services it provides to society. No longer can we afford to address environmental problems in the ocean on a reductionist, case-by-case basis, because the number of problems requiring attention has grown so large that the problems now are stacked one on top of another. Moreover, many of these problems are growing rapidly; for example, the contemporary rate of ocean acidification exceeds that at any time in the past 300 million years. Nor …

"Fed" Up With Acidification: "Trusting" The Federal Government To Protect The Tulalip Tribes' Access To Shellfish Beds, Jacqueline M. Bertelsen

Washington Journal of Environmental Law & Policy

Part I of this paper discusses the threat ocean acidification poses to the Tulalip Tribes’ ability to practice and preserve its way of life. Part II examines the laws and legal structures, especially the Clean Water Act, that can simultaneously protect the Tulalip Tribes’ right to harvest shellfish at “usual and accustomed” shellfish beds and the health of Puget Sound’s waters as a whole. Finally, Part III proposes actions that can be taken at the state, tribal, and federal levels. First, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) should develop criteria and water quality standards relevant to ocean acidification that can be …

New Approaches To Energy Development In Indian Country: The Trust Relationship And Tribal Self-Determination At (Yet Another) Crossroads, Monte Mills

Articles

Energy development in Indian country exists at the crossroads of tribal self-determination and the federal government's trust responsibility. This article reviews the foundations of this crossroads, describes recent developments, and analyzes pending proposals that may enhance both tribal sovereignty and energy development in Indian country.

Arctic Law & Policy Year In Review: 2014, Arctic Law & Policy Institute, University Of Washington

Washington Journal of Environmental Law & Policy

A categorized review of major developments, with background information and current events.

Making Science Useful In Complex Political And Legal Arenas: A Case For Frontloading Science In Anticipation Of Environmental Changes To Support Natural Resource Laws And Policies, Usha Varanasi

Washington Journal of Environmental Law & Policy

In the spirit of fostering interdisciplinary dialogue, the Washington Journal of Environmental Law and Policy is proud to present this Article. Professor Varanasi takes examples from her career as a fisheries scientist for the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration to argue for a new model for ecological disaster planning and response, in which baseline ecosystem data is collected in advance of possible incidents so that decision-makers are empowered to make informed choices from the first stages of disaster response. She concludes by urging sustained and targeted funding for long-term ecosystem data collection to better understand various disasters’ effects on a …

Practical Alternatives For Silvicultural Pollution Reduction In Light Of Decker V. Nedc, Erin Anderson

Washington Journal of Environmental Law & Policy

Decker v. Northwest Environmental Defense Center is a recently decided Supreme Court case that originated in the forests of Oregon. Frustrated by the level of pollution in Oregon rivers that was originating from logging roads, an environmental group sued the State to enforce the Clean Water Act and require Oregon to issue National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits for the pollution. The Supreme Court held that the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) decision to exclude water pollution from logging roads from NPDES permitting was entitled to deference, reversing the Ninth Circuit’s decision that such pollution required NPDES permits under the …

Legal And Policy Implications Of The Perception Of Property Rights In Catch Shares, Mark Fina, Tyson Kade

Washington Journal of Environmental Law & Policy

Catch shares are a fishery management strategy under which persons are allocated exclusive access to specific portions of the total allowable catch of a fishery. Proponents of catch share management argue that these programs allow for more efficient management of annual catch limits and mitigate the negative biological and economic impacts associated with other management programs. Because of the exclusivity of their allocations, catch share programs have been characterized by their opponents as privatizing the public fisheries resource and granting catch share holders a property right to fish. However, case law suggests that a court is unlikely to conclude that …

Proving Natural Resource Damage Under Opa 90: Out With The Rebuttable Presumption, In With Apa-Style Judicial Review?, Craig H. Allen

Articles

In the aftermath of the Deepwater Honrzon oil spill of 2010, Prsident Obama uged Congess to amend the natural resource damage provisions of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 to replace the rebuttable presumption of validity the law presently accords to damage assessments by the designated natural resource trustees that were conducted in accordance with regulations promulgated by the National Oceanic and Atmosphenc Administration with the standard of judicial review prescrbed by the Administrative Procedures Act (APA). Although the House of Representatives passed such an amendment in 2010, the Senate failed to act on the amendment before the 111th congressional …