Abstract
Groundwater is a scarce resource in the arid plains of the northwestern United States. Accordingly, its high demand by farmers and cattle ranchers has led to a series of laws restricting and governing its use. The Supreme Court of Washington recently ruled in Five Corners Family Farmers v. State that one of these statutes, drafted decades ago, allows for unlimited water to be used for the purposes of watering cattle. This Comment reviews the competing arguments of this case, and focuses on the method the court used in making its determination. This Comment addresses the plain meaning of the statute in question, and suggests that while the court made the correct decision, it may have catastrophic effects on the land and people affected by it.
Files
Metadata
- Subject
Agriculture Law
Animal Law
Environmental Law
State and Local Government Law
Water Law
- Journal title
Boston College Environmental Affairs Law Review
- Volume
40
- Issue
3
- Pagination
E. Supp. 45
- Date submitted
7 September 2022