A federal district court ruling on Feb. 1 rejected a lawsuit brought against the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by Las Virgenes Municipal Water District, thus upholding an EPA-established plan to reduce pollution and protect water quality in Malibu Creek and Lagoon.
The Las Virgenes water agency had formerly pushed back against EPA actions, which claimed that pollution reductions are necessary to protect Malibu Creek from excessive sediments, nitrogen and phosphorus. They explained that too much sediment can clog the habitat within a creek, and nitrogen and phosphorous can cause dense algal growth — both of which are harmful to several threatened and endangered species that reside in Malibu Lagoon.
The Feb. 1 ruling will uphold pollution reduction targets established by the EPA under the federal Clean Water Act to ensure that Las Virgenes will better treat sewage discharge before releasing its wastewater into Malibu Creek.