No. 19-257 In the Supreme Court of the United States CALIFORNIA TROUT, ET AL., PETITIONERS v. HOOPA VALLEY TRIBE, ET AL. ON PETITION FOR A WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA CIRCUIT BRIEF FOR THE FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION IN OPPOSITION NOEL J. FRANCISCO JAMES P. DANLY Solicitor General General Counsel Counsel of Record ROBERT H. SOLOMON Department of Justice Solicitor Washington, D.C. 20530-0001 CAROL J. BANTA
[email protected] Senior Attorney (202) 514-2217 Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20426 QUESTION PRESENTED The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Com- mission) has authority to issue licenses for the construc- tion, operation, and maintenance of hydroelectric pro- jects on jurisdictional waters. See 16 U.S.C. 797(e). If a proposed hydroelectric license “may result in any dis- charge into the navigable waters” of the United States, the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq., requires that the applicant provide the Commission with “a cer- tification from the State in which the discharge origi- nates.” 33 U.S.C. 1341(a)(1). The statute further states that “[i]f the State * * * fails or refuses to act on a re- quest for certification, within a reasonable period of time (which shall not exceed one year) after receipt of such request, the certification requirements of this sub- section shall be waived with respect to such Federal ap- plication.” Ibid. The question presented is: Whether the court of appeals correctly determined that California and Oregon waived water quality certi- fication under 33 U.S.C.