Clinic Student argues Earthrise case on water quality in Idaho Federal District Court

At Earthrise we often say that one of the best parts of working here is getting to mentor, educate, and work with students. We are constantly on the lookout for opportunities for our students to argue in court; last Wednesday we got just that. Recent graduate Michael Benjamin Smith presented oral argument alongside Earthrise Co-Director Allison LaPlante, in front of Judge David Nye of the Federal District Court of Idaho. The argument took place at the James A. McClure Federal Building and Courthouse in Boise, ID, and was our first in-person argument since the beginning of the pandemic. Michael had the opportunity to argue a partial motion for summary judgement about the inadequacy of EPA’s and Idaho’s efforts to protect aquatic species from mercury pollution. Michael was nothing short of outstanding. After the argument, the judge and his clerk, as well as our opposing counsel at U.S. DOJ, complimented Michael on just how good he was. Thank you for making us proud, Michael! Keep an eye on this page for future updates about this case.