Dept. of Water Resources Environmental Impact Case
Plaintiffs in this coordinated proceeding appeal from postdismissal orders denying their motions for attorney fees under Code of Civil Procedure section 1021.5, the private attorney general statute. In 2017, plaintiffs filed petitions against defendant Department of Water Resources (DWR) challenging the California WaterFix (WaterFix), a proposal to improve the State’s water supply infrastructure by constructing two 35-mile-long tunnels that would convey fresh water from the Sacramento River to pumping stations in the southern Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta (Delta). The lawsuits sought to compel DWR to rescind the WaterFix approvals, decertify the environmental impact report (EIR), and suspend activities related to the project until DWR complied with applicable laws. Most of the plaintiffs also filed answers opposing a separate action filed by DWR to validate the project’s bond financing.
Comments on Dept. of Water Resources Environmental Impact Case