Earthrise case argued before D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals

This past Tuesday in the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, former Earthrise legal fellow and current Public Justice Staff Attorney Haley Nicholson delivered her first (of many, we are certain) appellate oral argument on behalf of our client, American Whitewater. The case involves a challenge to FERC’s decision to allow a hydropower company to surrender its operating license but leave two obsolete dams in the Salmon Falls River, on the Maine/New Hampshire border, that continue to fragment aquatic habitat, block migratory fish passage, and disrupt recreational boating opportunities. We’re so proud of Haley - she was fantastic. You can find a recording of her argument here: https://lnkd.in/gdjwgBDN. Our co-counsel, Bob Nasdor of American Whitewater, Senior Staff Attorney Kevin Cassidy, and current Earthrise student Riley Sanders were instrumental in briefing this case and helping Haley prepare for oral argument (also thanks to Craig Johnston and Allison LaPlante, and all the folks at Public Justice for helping with many of Haley’s moots).

This case is part of Earthrise’s collaboration with American Whitewater and others on the Deadbeat Dams Law Project, which you can read more about here.