D.C. Circuit Rejects PETA Nonhuman Primate FOIA Claim

by John M. Simpson

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit recently affirmed a summary judgment in favor of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) which had denied a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) for information about the importation of nonhuman primates.  People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals v. U.S. Dep’t of Health and Human Serv., No. 16-5269 (D.C. Cir. August, 17, 2018).  The appellate court agreed with the lower court that the release of such information would cause substantial competitive injury to the importers who had provided such information to HHS and therefore was properly withheld under FOIA Exemption 4, which exempts “trade secrets and commercial or financial information obtained from a person and privileged or confidential” from disclosure.  5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(4).   Continue reading “D.C. Circuit Rejects PETA Nonhuman Primate FOIA Claim”

Third Circuit Decides Service Dog Issue of First Impression

by John M. Simpson

In Berardelli v. Allied Services Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, No. 17-1469 (3rd Cir. Aug. 14, 2018), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit ruled that, as to service animals, the 1973 Rehabilitation Act’s mandate of “reasonable accommodations” must be interpreted and applied in the same manner as the 1990 Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) standard of “reasonable modifications.”  Therefore, even though there was no Rehabilitation Act regulation specifically so stating, the ADA regulation on public accommodations and public entities controlled.  As a result, a request to an institution covered by the Rehabilitation Act for an individual to be accompanied by a service animal is “per se reasonable in the ordinary course.”   Slip op. at 4.  Continue reading “Third Circuit Decides Service Dog Issue of First Impression”

Fourth Circuit Vacates Incidental Take Statement for Gas Pipeline

by John M. Simpson

On August 6, 2018, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit granted a petition setting aside an Incidental Take Statement (ITS) of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) which had been issued under the Endangered Species Act (ESA)  in connection with the approval of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, a 600-mile natural gas pipeline proposed to run through parts of West Virginia, Virginia and North Carolina.  Sierra Club, et al., v. U.S. Dep’t of the Interior, Nos. 18-1082 & 18-1083 (4th Cir. Aug. 6, 2018).   Continue reading “Fourth Circuit Vacates Incidental Take Statement for Gas Pipeline”

Court Rules Bengal Tiger Is Not An “Individual” Under FOIA

by John M. Simpson

In Animal Legal Defense Fund v. U.S. Dep’t of Agriculture, 2018 WL 23987812 (N.D. Cal. May 25, 2018), the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California recently granted summary judgment to the government in a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit in which the plaintiff challenged the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s “policy and practice of interpreting the statute to exclude nonhuman animals.”  The case arose out of a FOIA request by an animal rights organization for inspection records of USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service concerning Tony the Tiger — a Bengal tiger maintained at a truck stop in Louisiana. Continue reading “Court Rules Bengal Tiger Is Not An “Individual” Under FOIA”

Fisheries Service Issues Incidental Taking Regulations

by John M. Simpson

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) published final regulations in the Federal Register on July 27, 2918 governing the unintentional taking of marine mammals incidental to fisheries research conducted in the Pacific Ocean by the NMFS’ Northwest Fisheries Science Center (NWFSC).  83 Fed. Reg. 36370 (July 27, 2018).  The regulations are effective from August 27, 2018 through August 28, 2023.  Continue reading “Fisheries Service Issues Incidental Taking Regulations”

Court Grants Summary Judgment Against HSUS in Endangered Species Act Case

by John M. Simpson

The U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico recently entered summary judgment against the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and other plaintiffs in a case brought under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) alleging that regulations issued by the New Mexico State Game Commission authorizing the  recreational trapping of cougars (Cougar Rule) will cause a “take” of Mexican gray wolves in violation of the ESA.  Humane Soc’y of the U.S. v. Kienzle, 2018 WL 3429924 (D.N. M. July 16, 2018).  Continue reading “Court Grants Summary Judgment Against HSUS in Endangered Species Act Case”

Fisheries Service Designates Critical Habitat for False Killer Whale Population

On July 24, 2018, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)  published a final rule in the Federal Register designating critical habitat for the Main Hawaiian Islands insular false killer whale distinct population segment.   The rule becomes effective on August 23, 2018. Continue reading “Fisheries Service Designates Critical Habitat for False Killer Whale Population”

Wildlife Agencies Announce Proposed Endangered Species Act Regulations

by John M. Simpson

On July 19, 2018, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announced three proposed rulemakings that would revise the regulations pursuant to which the Services have implemented the Endangered Species Act (ESA).  These initiatives were the result of public comments solicited by the Services in response to Executive Order 13777, 82 Fed. Reg. 31576 (July 7, 2017), which sought comments on how federal agencies could improve the effectiveness and efficiency of federal regulations and the regulatory process.   Continue reading “Wildlife Agencies Announce Proposed Endangered Species Act Regulations”

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