Blue Ridge Envtl. Defense League v. Commonwealth

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Justia Opinion Summary

At issue in this case was whether the court of appeals erred in (1) reversing a circuit court's judgment and applying the arbitrary and capricious standard of review to the State Water Control Board's decision to reissue a Virginia pollutant discharge elimination system permit to Virginia Electric and Power Company for its nuclear power station; and (2) reversing the circuit court and affirming the Board's determination that the discharge of heated water from the station into a waste heat treatment facility, classified as a "waste treatment facility" under state and federal regulations, did not require a separate discharge permit. For the reasons stated in Commonwealth v. Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League, Inc., the Court affirmed the judgment of the court of appeals.

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Present: Kinser, C.J., Lemons, and Millette, JJ., and Carrico, Russell, Lacy, and Koontz, S.JJ. BLUE RIDGE ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE LEAGUE, INC., ET AL. v. Record No. 101476 PER CURIAM January 13, 2012 COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, EX REL. VIRGINIA STATE WATER CONTROL BOARD, ET AL. FROM THE COURT OF APPEALS OF VIRGINIA We granted the petition for appeal in this case to determine whether the Court of Appeals erred in reversing a circuit court's judgment and applying the arbitrary and capricious standard of review to the State Water Control Board's (Board) decision to reissue a Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit to Virginia Electric and Power Company for its North Lake Anna Nuclear Power Station (the Station). We also determine whether the Court of Appeals erred in reversing the circuit court and affirming the Board's determination that the discharge of heated water from the Station into a waste heat treatment facility, classified as a "waste treatment facility" under state and federal regulations, does not require a separate discharge permit. We have considered all the issues raised in the assignments of error and for the reasons stated in the opinion of the Court of Appeals in Commonwealth v. Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League, Inc., 56 Va. App. 469, 694 S.E.2d 290 (2010), we will affirm its judgment. Affirmed. 2

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