Joint Statement of Conservation Law Foundation and Buzzards Bay Coalition

Parties in Cape Cod Nitrogen Pollution Lawsuits Request Additional 45 Days to Conclude Mediation

Karen Wood, CLF, (617) 850-1722 or kwood@clf.org
Rob Hancock, Buzzards Bay Coalition, 508-999-6363, x222 or hancock@savebuzzardsbay.org

BOSTON, MA and FALMOUTH, MA  December 6, 2011 – Conservation Law Foundation and Buzzards Bay Coalition (“the Plaintiffs”), with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), jointly filed a status report today in U.S. District Court updating the Court on progress in the mediation discussions between the Plaintiffs and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) seeking to resolve two Cape Cod nitrogen pollution lawsuits. The status report proposes that another report be filed with the Court on January 20, 2012. If the parties’ request is approved by the Court, the parties will report on that date whether an agreement in principle has been reached, or whether the litigation will move forward.

In a joint statement, Conservation Law Foundation and Buzzards Bay Coalition said, “All parties have worked diligently and devoted substantial resources to attempt to resolve the issues raised in both legal actions through the mediation and have made substantial progress in that regard. Despite the best efforts of all parties, the mediation was not concluded on December 5, 2011 before the status report was due. The parties are, therefore, requesting to continue the mediation process.”

# # #