Legal Docket

Clean WaterLand ProtectionFisheriesClimate & Resiliency Environmental Justice

When the government fails its duty to protect land, air, and water, federal and state environmental laws give citizens and nonprofit organizations like Save the Sound the authority to take action. Legal action has been a pillar of Save the Sound’s effectiveness since our founding, and over the five decades since, we’ve consistently taken polluters to court and won. Yet while much progress has been made, much remains to be achieved—we are always on watch for emerging threats to public health and our natural resources.

Here are just some of our current and recent legal actions to protect your right to healthy waters, clean air, and thriving natural lands.

NOTE: This page is a work in progress; please check back for updates as the status of cases and details of actions change.

Active Legal Actions

Clean Water Strategic Litigation and Advocacy

Comprehensive Long Island Sound Nitrogen Pollution Strategy – Save the Sound has a multi-faceted litigation and administrative advocacy campaign to end nitrogen pollution in Long Island Sound and the dead zones, toxic algae bloom and other harms it causes.  

Updated September 24, 2024: Long Island Sound Nitrogen Campaign

Sewage Free Long Island Sound Strategic Litigation – Save the Sound is bringing cases throughout the LIS region to stop raw and partially treated sewage from being discharged to the Sound.  

Updated September 24, 2024: Swimmable Waters for NYC

Updated September 24, 2024: Norwalk Sewage Overflows

Updated October 7, 2024: Westchester County Sewage Overflows

Updated September 26, 2024: Darien Sewage Overflows

Updated November 17, 2022: Greater Hartford (MDC) Sewage Overflows

Updated October 4, 2024: Bridgeport Sewage Overflows

Stormwater Pollution Strategic Litigation and Advocacy– Save the Sound is investigating and bringing cases throughout the LIS region to require municipalities and others to address stormwater pollution which is the biggest driver of water pollution today.  

Updated September 26, 2024: Stormwater Pollution Lawsuits re: Middletown, Ridgefield, Redding, and Burlington

Updated October 4, 2024: Stormwater Pollution and Municipal Separate Storm System (MS4) permits

Land Protection Strategic Litigation and Advocacy – Protecting the Region’s Forests, Open Space, and Habitats

Updated December 4, 2023: Permanently Conserving 5,500 Acres of Core Forest Surrounding the Colebrook Reservoir

Updated November 24, 2023: Oswegatchie Hills Lawsuit – Protecting the Last Mile

Updated November 24, 2023: Plum Island Lawsuit

Updated September 26, 2024: Protecting Coastal Forest and Wetlands on Long Island’s East End – Strong’s Storage

Fisheries Cases

Updated November 24, 2023: Taking Down Kinneytown Dam to Restore Historic Fish Runs

Updated September 26, 2024: Loper-Bright Enterprises, et al. v. Raimondo – Protecting Threatened Fisheries

Updated October 4, 2024: Rainbow Dam, Protecting the Farmington River

Climate & Resiliency Cases

Updated September 26, 2024: Tweed Airport Expansion

Updated September 26, 2026: Iroquois Pipeline

Environmental Justice Cases

Updated September 26, 2024: Wheeler Street – Environmental Justice Action

Updated October 4, 2024: AB Eco Park

Historic Legal Actions

Long Island State Parks Nitrogen Lawsuit

Protecting Connecticut Water Company Lands

Greater New Haven WPCA 2.1 Million Gallon Sewage Overflows into Mill River

Aquarion Lands/Converse Brook Preserve

Shell Oil/Broadwater

Read about more of Save the Sound’s most impactful and groundbreaking past legal actions.


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The ​Connecticut Cleanup Program is a state-wide effort hosted by Save the Sound as part of Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup. Join us this August through September by registering to cleanup our beaches, rivers, parks, and natural spaces. Sign up today.

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