San Francisco Must Follow EPA’s Discharge Rules, 9th Cir. Says

San Francisco can’t challenge Environmental Protection Agency limitations in its federal permit allowing the city to discharge wastewater into the Pacific Ocean, according to the Ninth Circuit which rejected the city’s petition for review Monday.

The city’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit allows it to discharge from its Oceanside combined sewer system and wastewater treatment facility into the Pacific Ocean. But the EPA’s prohibitions on the permit, which the city challenged, are valid, a split three-judge panel on the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit said.

The agencyy has the authority to require San Francisco to abide ...