Ace Black Ranches in Bruneau, Idaho, is seeking dismissal of a Clean Water Act lawsuit filed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The ranch argues the EPA lacks the authority and evidence to prove it disrupted wetlands connected to the Bruneau River without proper permits.
The case stems from EPA claims that the ranch’s activities, including road construction, severed surface water connections between wetlands and the river. The agency cites satellite imagery and inspections conducted in 2021 and 2023 as evidence.
Ace Black Ranches counters that the EPA’s case does not align with the Supreme Court’s Sackett v. EPA ruling, which limits federal oversight of certain wetlands. The ranch also asserts the statute of limitations has expired for enforcing the alleged violations.
The ranch faces significant civil penalties if the case proceeds. The dispute highlights ongoing tensions over federal jurisdiction in wetland regulation following recent legal precedent.
