Madison v. Tulalip Tribes
Madison v. Tulalip Tribes
Opinion of the Court
MEMORANDUM
Appellant Guy Madison challenges the district court’s grant of summary judg
Madison claims that the government failed to conduct an environmental impact statement or environmental assessment as required by the National Environmental Protection Act
Both parties argue that the case is not moot because the life span of the Tribes’ construction projects is short, so the controversy is capable of repeating itself yet evading review. Regardless of whether the short duration of a construction project would prevent judicial review of whether the EPA complies with NEPA when it extends permit coverage to a project, we conclude that the case is still moot because the issue here-whether the government was required to prepare an environmental impact statement for the issuance of general permit coverage to the Tribe for its construction project-is based on an argument that the 1998 general permit is a regulation. Because the 1998 general permit is no longer valid, any determination that the permit is or is not a regulation would not resolve controversies arising under the new 2003 permit. Although there may indeed be litigation between these same parties in the future, it is not clear that there would be insufficient time to challenge the coverage under the 2003 permit before it expires.
Because there is no longer a live controversy in this case, and because there will be adequate time to challenge any future permit coverage, we dismiss this case as moot. We also vacate the decision below under the doctrine of United States v. Munsingwear, Inc
The appeal is therefore DISMISSED as moot, and the decision of the district court VACATED.
This disposition is not appropriate for publication and may not be cited to or by the courts of this circuit except as provided by 9th Cir. R. 36-3.
. In re Burrell, 415 F.3d 994, 998 (9th Cir. 2005); Sze v. I.N.S., 153 F.3d 1005, 1007 (9th Cir. 1998).
. 42 U.S.C. § 4321 etseq.
. United States v. Munsingwear, Inc., 340 U.S. 36, 39, 71 S.Ct. 104, 95 L.Ed. 36 (1950); see also In re Burrell, 415 F.3d at 999.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.