⚖ Oral Arguments, with Context

Real court arguments, crisp audio, with context.

Court recordings can be difficult to follow, and many suffer from poor audio quality. This podcast enhances the audio, provides a brief introduction to each case, and explains legal concepts that may be unfamiliar to some listeners.

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American Water Works Association v. EPA — D.C. Cir. (Sep 30, 2026)

No. 24-1376 Argued September 30, 2026 Published October 4, 2026

The American Water Works Association challenges EPA's lead-pipe replacement rule in the D.C. Circuit. Lead service lines connect water mains to homes and other buildings. As these pipes corrode, they can release lead into drinking water. Some portions belong to property owners rather than the water utility. EPA's 2024 rule requires replacement of lead service lines under a water system's control, with a ten-year replacement period starting in 2027 for most systems. The association supports removing lead pipes but challenges the rule's legal reach and deadline. It petitioned this court directly to set the rule aside. A key question concerns privately owned pipes: does permission to access them mean the utility controls them under the Safe Drinking Water Act? First, Corinne Snow of Vinson and Elkins will argue for the association that EPA wrongly treats access as control and imposes an unworkable deadline.

American Water Works Association v. EPA (No. 24-1376) — U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, argued September 30, 2026.

Sources
Argument audio — U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit:https://media.cadc.uscourts.gov/recordings/docs/2026/09/24-1376.mp3
Argument date and counsel — official court recording list:https://media.cadc.uscourts.gov/recordings/bydate/2026/9
Case background and petitioner position — AWWA filed opening brief (NRDC-hosted copy):https://www.nrdc.org/sites/default/files/2025-10/2025-09-12_%28AWWA%29_Opening_Brief_LCR.pdf
Government position and counsel — EPA/DOJ filed brief (NRDC-hosted copy):https://www.nrdc.org/sites/default/files/2026-04/2026-04-17_EPA_Final_Brief_w_exhs.pdf
Intervenors and their position — NRDC, Newburgh Clean Water Project and Sierra Club filed brief:https://www.nrdc.org/sites/default/files/2026-03/Proof_brief_respondent_intervenors_2026.03.13_AWWA_v_EPA.pdf
Challenged rule — EPA Lead and Copper Rule Improvements, October 30, 2024:https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2024-10-30/pdf/2024-23549.pdf
Counsel background — Corinne Snow, Vinson & Elkins:https://www.velaw.com/people/corinne-snow/
Counsel background — Jared Thompson, NRDC:https://www.nrdc.org/bio/jared-thompson

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