In La Cuna De Aztlan Sacred Sites Protection Circle Advisory Committee v. United States Department of the Interior (2012) 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 97759, the Bureau of Land Management (Bureau) approved Chevron Energy Solutions Company’s (Chevron) solar-electricity general project (Project), which is located on federal public land in the California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA). The…

In Natural Resources Defense Council v. Salazar, (2012) 2012 U.S. App. Lexis 14614, the 9th District Court of Appeals affirmed a grant of summary judgment, concluding plaintiffs did not have standing to challenge the renewal of certain water service contracts under the Endangered Species Act and that renewal of other water service contracts was…

UPDATE: On August 27, 2012, the Fourth Appellate District Court certified Rialto Citizens for Responsible Growth v. City of Rialto (2012) 2012 Cal. App. LEXIS 849 for full publication.

In a decision certified for partial publication, Rialto Citizens for Responsible Growth v. City of Rialto (2012) 2012 Cal. App. LEXIS 849, the Fourth Appellate District…

On Friday, July 13, 2012, the California Energy Commission (CEC) conducted a workshop to gather information, perspectives, and high-level principles on how the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan (DRECP) can be most effective as a long-term energy infrastructure plan. The DRECP is an effort by the Renewable Energy Action Team to provide protection and conservation…

In Healdsburg Citizens for Sustainable Solutions v. City of Healdsburg (2012) 206 Cal.App.4th 988, certified for partial publication, the First District Court of Appeal affirmed an award of attorneys’ fees resulting from a successful CEQA challenge to a co-counsel attorney who was also a named party in the case.

Petitioners, Healdsburg Citizens for Sustainable Solutions…

In an unpublished decision, El Pueblo Para El Aire Y Agua Limpio v. Kings County Board of Supervisors, 2012 Cal. App. Unpub. LEXIS 4984, Greenaction for Health and Environmental Justice and El Pueblo Para El Aire y Agua Limpio (collectively appellants) sued the Kings County Board of Supervisors (County) alleging that the County’s approval…

For the 8th consecutive year, Tina Thomas has been named a Super Lawyer by Northern California Super Lawyers Magazine. Super Lawyers are those who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The selection process is multi-phased and includes independent research, peer nominations and peer evaluations.

On Thursday, July 12, 2012, the Avondale-Glen Elder Neighborhood Association (AGENA) prevailed against Sacramento Natural Gas Storage, LLP (SNGS), which proposed to store 8 billion cubic feet of natural gas underneath 700 homes in the Avondale Glen Elder neighborhood. AGENA was represented by attorneys from Legal Services of Northern California and Thomas Law Group on…

The City of Hayward v. Board of Trustees of the California State University, 2012 Cal. App. LEXIS 761, publication status was recently changed from unpublished to published on June 28, 2012. The Board of Trustees of the California State University (Trustees) approved a master plan to guide the expansion of the Hayward campus. The…

On June 26, 2012, the Napa City Council unanimously approved the Alexander Crossings Apartment project (Project), consisting of 134 residential units with an average density of 20.9 units per acre. A total of 27 residential units or 20% of the Project is designated as affordable housing consistent with the City’s Housing Element and Municipal Code.…