gwaltney chesapeake bay foundation argued october decided december section clean water act authorizes private citizens commence civil action injunctive relief imposition civil penalties federal district person alleged violation conditions national pollutant discharge elimination system npdes permit petitioner repeatedly violated conditions npdes permit exceeding authorized effluent limitations however due installation new equipment petitioner last reported violation occurred may nevertheless june given notice intent sue petitioner environmental protection agency epa state authorities required act respondents filed suit alleging petitioner violated continue violate npdes permit district denied petitioner motion dismissal action want jurisdiction act rejecting contention alleged violation language requires defendant violating act time suit holding alternative respondents satisfied jurisdictional requirements complaint alleged good faith petitioner continuing violate permit time suit filed appeals affirmed agreeing district authorizes suits basis wholly past violations finding unnecessary rule district alternative holding held section confer federal jurisdiction citizen suits wholly past violations pp although violation language without ambiguity natural reading language requirement allege state either continuous intermittent violation reasonable likelihood past polluter continue pollute future contention congress failure choose statutory language looked past simply result careless accident unpersuasive since citizen suit provisions several environmental statutes authorize prospective relief use language identical statutory provisions demonstrate congress knows avoid prospective implications using language explicitly targets wholly past violations also untenable argument since epa compliance order provisions act use language parallel violation phrase since incorporated reference epa civil enforcement provisions since epa may bring enforcement actions recover civil penalties wholly past violations citizens may maintain actions section authorizes equitable relief imposition civil penalties separate distinct provisions including provides civil penalties contain language parallel contrast reference civil penalties injunctive relief sentence suggests connection two remedies supports conclusion citizens may seek civil penalties suit brought enjoin otherwise abate ongoing violation pp language structure rest citizen suit provisions make plain harm sought addressed suit lies present future rather past particularly light pervasive undeviating use present tense throughout conclusion render gratuitous notice provision purpose give alleged violator opportunity bring complete compliance act thus make citizen suit unnecessary moreover bar citizen suits governmental enforcement action way suggests citizen suit meant supplement supplant governmental action supplemental role undermined citizen suits wholly past violations permitted since suit might intrude upon governmental discretion enforce act public interest pp act legislative history indicates suits intended abate pollution enjoin continuous intermittent violations remedy wholly past violations pp section confers citizen suit jurisdiction federal district courts plaintiffs make allegation continuous intermittent violation necessary plaintiffs prove allegations ongoing noncompliance jurisdiction attaches since statute require defendant violation commencement suit defendant alleged violation requirement federal rule civil procedure adequately protect defendants frivolous allegations moreover allegations injury sufficient standing cases invoke jurisdiction constitution require plaintiff offer proof allegations threshold matter furthermore longstanding mootness doctrine protect defendant continuation suits plaintiff allegations ongoing violations become false defendant begun comply act since appeals declined decide whether respondents complaint contained allegation ongoing violation petitioner case must remanded consideration question pp marshall delivered opinion rehnquist brennan white blackmun joined parts ii stevens scalia joined scalia filed opinion concurring part concurring judgment stevens joined post barrett prettyman argued cause petitioner briefs richard poulson patrick raher catherine james lacroix john roberts louis claiborne argued cause respondents brief jeter watson james thornton briefs amici curiae urging reversal filed chamber commerce et al theodore garrett katherine rhyne robin conrad james jackson richard wasserstrom connecticut business industry association wayne henderson consolidated rail corporation et al mcneill watkins ii james baine timothy atherton nathan edelstein jose berlanga grant van horne rollins environmental services nj william lewis briefs amici curiae urging affirmance filed solicitor general fried acting assistant attorney general hookano deputy solicitor general wallace jeffrey minear david shilton state alabama et al john van de kamp attorney general california roderick walston allene zanger deputy attorneys general siegelman attorney general alabama joseph lieberman attorney general connecticut robert walsh assistant attorney general warren price iii attorney general hawaii james tierney attorney general maine philip ahrens deputy attorney general frank kelley attorney general michigan louis caruso solicitor general william webster attorney general missouri louis rose special assistant attorney general new mexico travis medlock attorney general south carolina michael cody attorney general tennessee jeffrey amestoy attorney general vermont mary sue terry attorney general virginia kenneth eikenberry attorney general washington friends earth et al bruce terris national wildlife federation mark van putten norman dean briefs amici curiae filed bethlehem steel corporation et al benjamin rosenberg legal foundation et al richard mcglynn errata scott duboff added mcneill watkins ii justice marshall delivered opinion case must decide whether clean water act also known federal water pollution control act confers federal jurisdiction citizen suits wholly past violations clean water act act stat et seq ed supp iii enacted restore maintain chemical physical biological integrity nation waters order achieve goals act makes unlawful discharge pollutant navigable waters except authorized specified sections act one specified sections establishes national pollutant discharge elimination system npdes pursuant administrator environmental protection agency epa may issue permits authorizing discharge pollutants accordance specified conditions pursuant state may establish administer permit program program conforms federal guidelines approved administrator act calls administrator suspend issuance federal permits waters subject approved state program holder federal npdes permit subject enforcement action administrator failure comply conditions permit administrator enforcement arsenal includes administrative civil criminal sanctions holder state npdes permit subject federal state enforcement action failure comply absence federal state enforcement private citizens may commence civil actions person alleged violation conditions either federal state npdes permit citizen prevails action may order injunctive relief impose civil penalties payable treasury commonwealth virginia established federally approved state npdes program administered virginia state water control board board code et seq board issued npdes permit authorizing discharge seven pollutants company meatpacking plant pagan river smithfield virginia permit reissued modified established effluent limitations monitoring requirements conditions discharge petitioner gwaltney smithfield acquired assets assumed obligations permit petitioner repeatedly violated conditions permit exceeding effluent limitations five seven pollutants covered violations chronicled discharge monitoring reports permit required petitioner maintain see record exh substantial violations concerned pollutants fecal coliform chlorine total kjeldahl nitrogen tkn october august petitioner violated tkn limitation times chlorine limitation times fecal coliform limitation times record stipulation petitioner installed new equipment improve chlorination system march last reported chlorine violation occurred october new chlorination system also helped control discharge fecal coliform last recorded fecal coliform violation occurred february record exh petitioner installed upgraded wastewater treatment system october last reported tkn violation occurred may record stipulation respondents chesapeake bay foundation natural resources defense council two nonprofit corporations dedicated protection natural resources sent notice february gwaltney administrator epa virginia state water control board indicating respondents intention commence citizen suit act based petitioner violations permit conditions respondents proceeded file suit june alleging petitioner violated continue violate npdes permit record doc respondents requested district provide declaratory injunctive relief impose civil penalties award attorney fees costs district granted partial summary judgment respondents august declaring gwaltney violated violation act ed district held trial determine appropriate remedy district reached decision gwaltney moved may dismissal action want jurisdiction act gwaltney argued language permits private citizens bring suit person alleged violation act requires defendant violating act time suit gwaltney urged district adopt analysis fifth circuit hamker diamond shamrock chemical held complaint brought must allege violation occurring time complaint filed gwaltney contended last recorded violation occurred several weeks respondents filed complaint district lacked jurisdiction respondents action see record doc district rejected gwaltney argument concluding authorizes citizens bring enforcement actions basis wholly past violations district found words violation may reasonably read comprehending unlawful conduct occurred solely prior filing lawsuit well unlawful conduct continues present supp ed district view construction statutory language supported legislative history underlying policy goals act district held alternative respondents satisfied jurisdictional requirements complaint alleged good faith gwaltney continuing violate permit time suit filed appeals affirmed expressly rejecting fifth circuit approach hamker holding read comprehend unlawful conduct occurred prior filing lawsuit well unlawful conduct continues present appeals concluded reading consistent act structure legislative history purpose although observed sound argument made respondents allegations continuing violations made good faith appeals declined rule district alternative holding finding unnecessary disposition case subsequent issuance fourth circuit opinion first circuit also occasion construe took position different either fourth fifth circuit holding jurisdiction lies fairly alleges continuing likelihood defendant enjoined proceed violate act pawtuxet cove marina first circuit approach precludes suit based wholly past violations permits suit pattern intermittent violations even violation moment suit filed granted certiorari resolve conflict circuits vacate fourth circuit opinion remand case ii well settled starting point interpreting statute language statute consumer product safety gte sylvania appeals concluded violation language ambiguous whereas petitioner asserts plainly precludes construction adopted must agree appeals provision congress limpid prose puts end dispute acknowledge ambiguity conclude interpretations equally plausible natural reading violation requirement allege state either continuous intermittent violation reasonable likelihood past polluter continue pollute future congress phrased requirement language looked past violated choose readily available option respondents urge choice phrase violation rather phrasing clearly directed past careless accident result debatable lapse syntactical precision brief respondents prospective orientation phrase escaped congress attention congress used identical language citizen suit provisions several environmental statutes authorize prospective relief see clean air act resource conservation recovery act ed supp iii toxic substances control act ed supp iv moreover congress demonstrated yet statutory provisions knows avoid prospective implication using language explicitly targets wholly past violations respondents seek counter reasoning observing congress also used phrase violation act authorizes administrator epa issue compliance orders language incorporated reference authorizes administrator bring civil enforcement actions little questioned administrator may bring enforcement actions recover civil penalties wholly past violations respondents contend parallel language must mean citizens may maintain actions although argument initial plausibility withstand close scrutiny comparison two statutory provisions administrator ability seek civil penalties discussed either civil penalties mentioned contain violation language recently recognized constitutes separate grant enforcement authority section intertwine equitable relief imposition civil penalties instead kind relief separably authorized separate distinct statutory provision subsection providing injunctive relief independent subsection provides civil penalties tull reading violation language bolstered language structure rest citizen suit provisions act provisions together make plain interest primarily one striking indicia prospective orientation citizen suit pervasive use present tense throughout citizen suit may brought violation permit limitation effect act must give notice alleged violator administrator epa state alleged violation occurs governor state may sue citizen administrator fails enforce effluent limitation violation occurring another state causing adverse effect public health welfare state telling use present tense definition citizen person interest may adversely affected defendant violations act definition makes plain undeviating use present tense strongly suggests harm sought addressed citizen suit lies present future past conclusion render incomprehensible notice provision requires citizens give days notice intent sue alleged violator well administrator state administrator state commences enforcement action within period citizen suit barred presumably governmental action rendered unnecessary follows logically purpose notice alleged violator give opportunity bring complete compliance act thus likewise render unnecessary citizen suit assume respondents urge citizen suits may target wholly past violations requirement notice alleged violator becomes gratuitous indeed respondents propounding interpretation act think reason congress require notice seemed right inform alleged violator sued brief respondents adopting respondents interpretation jurisdictional grant create second even disturbing anomaly bar citizen suits governmental enforcement action way suggests citizen suit meant supplement rather supplant governmental action legislative history act reinforces view role citizen suit senate report noted committee intends great volume enforcement actions brought state citizen suits proper federal state local agencies fail exercise enforcement responsibility reprinted legislative history water pollution control act amendments hereinafter leg permitting citizen suits wholly past violations act undermine supplementary role envisioned citizen suit danger best illustrated example suppose administrator identified violator act issued compliance order suppose administrator agreed assess otherwise seek civil penalties condition violator take extreme corrective action install particularly effective expensive machinery otherwise obliged take citizens file suit months years later order seek civil penalties administrator chose forgo administrator discretion enforce act public interest curtailed considerably might said discretion state enforcement authorities respondents interpretation scope citizen suit change nature citizens role interstitial potentially intrusive agree congress intended result legislative history act provides additional support reading members congress frequently characterized citizen suit provisions abatement provisions injunctive measures see water pollution control legislation hearings subcommittee air water pollution senate committee public works pt staff analysis person may sue polluter abate violation pt eagleton citizen suits brought purpose abating pollution leg hist additional views abzug rangel itizens may institute suits polluters purpose halting pollution cong rec leg hist muskie citizen suits brought enforce continuous intermittent violations leg hist bayh sorts citizen suits citizen obtain injunction obtain money damages useful additional tool enforcing environmental protection laws moreover senate house reports explicitly connected citizen suit provisions authorized clean air act wholly injunctive nature see supra leg hist citizen participation clean water act modeled provision enacted clean air amendments supra leg hist section closely follows concepts utilized section clean air act congress acknowledgment connection suggests identity alleged violation language citizen suit provisions two acts accidental rather two provisions share common central purpose permitting citizens abate pollution government command compliance understanding alleged violation language statutory term art rather mere stylistic infelicity reinforced consistent adherence senate house reports precise statutory formulation see conf leg hist supra leg hist supra leg hist respondents make much fact senator muskie one principal authors sponsors bill deviated formulation one point expressing view citizen right section bring action appropriate remedy case person alleged violation cong rec leg hist emphasis added viewed context however senator muskie statement support respondents contention authorizes citizen suits wholly past violations full context senator remarks follows notice provision intended however cut right action citizen may respect violations took place days earlier may continuous original senate bill citizen right section bring action appropriate remedy case person alleged violation whether violation continuous one occasional sporadic one ibid iii conclusion permit citizen suits wholly past violations necessarily dispose lawsuit lower courts recognized district found persuasive fact respondents allegation complaint gwaltney continuing violate npdes permit plaintiffs filed suit appears made fully good faith basis district explicitly held albeit even gwaltney correct district jurisdiction citizen suits based entirely unlawful conduct occurred entirely past still jurisdiction ibid appeals acknowledged also sound argument made respondents allegations continuing violations made good faith expressly declined rule alternative holding agree confers jurisdiction citizen suits make allegation continuous intermittent violation remand case appeals consideration petitioner argues must prove allegations ongoing noncompliance jurisdiction attaches brief petitioner agree statute require defendant violation act commencement suit rather statute requires defendant alleged violation petitioner construction act reads word alleged petitioner quick note contexts reason believe congress drafting sloppy haphazard agree solicitor general congress use phrase alleged violation reflects conscious sensitivity practical difficulties detecting proving chronic episodic violations environmental standards brief amicus curiae acknowledgment congress intended allegation suffice jurisdictional purposes however give litigants license flood courts suits premised baseless allegations rule federal rules civil procedure requires pleadings based belief formed reasonable inquiry well grounded fact adequately protects defendants frivolous allegations petitioner contends failure require proof allegations permit plaintiffs whose allegations ongoing violation reasonable untrue maintain suit federal even though lack constitutional standing petitioner reasons defendant complete compliance act time suit plaintiffs suffered injury remediable citizen suit provisions act petitioner however fails recognize standing cases uniformly recognize allegations injury sufficient invoke jurisdiction warth seldin example made clear suit dismissed lack standing sufficient allegations fact proof complaint supporting affidavits say however allegations may challenged scrap noted plaintiffs allegations standing fact untrue defendants moved summary judgment standing issue demonstrated district allegations sham raised genuine issue fact defendant fails make showing plaintiff offers evidence support allegation case proceeds trial merits plaintiff must prove allegations order prevail constitution require plaintiff offer proof threshold matter order invoke district jurisdiction petitioner also worries construction permit allegations ongoing noncompliance become false later point litigation defendant begins comply act continue nonetheless press suit conclusion according petitioner result contravene prospective purpose citizen suit provisions case controversy requirement article iii longstanding principles mootness however prevent maintenance suit reasonable expectation wrong repeated grant quoting aluminum america seeking case dismissed moot however defendant burden heavy one defendant must demonstrate absolutely clear allegedly wrongful behavior reasonably expected recur phosphate export emphasis added mootness doctrine thus protects defendants maintenance suit clean water act based solely violations wholly unconnected present future wrongdoing also protects plaintiffs defendants seek evade sanction predictable protestations repentance reform oregon state medical society erroneously concluded respondents maintain action based wholly past violations act declined decide whether respondents complaint contained allegation ongoing violation petitioner therefore remand case consideration question judgment appeals vacated case remanded proceedings consistent opinion ordered footnotes except provided subsection section citizen may commence civil action behalf person including ii governmental instrumentality agency extent permitted eleventh amendment constitution alleged violation effluent standard limitation chapter order issued administrator state respect standard limitation administrator alleged failure administrator perform act duty chapter discretionary administrator district courts shall jurisdiction without regard amount controversy citizenship parties enforce effluent standard limitation order order administrator perform act duty case may apply appropriate civil penalties section title example solid waste disposal act amended authorize citizen suits past present generator transporter owner operator treatment storage disposal facility contributed contributing past present handling storage treatment transportation disposal certain hazardous wastes supp iii prior solid waste disposal act contained language identical clean water act authorizing citizen suits person alleged violation waste disposal permits standards even point recent clean water act amendments permit epa assess administrative penalties without judicial process person violated provisions act water quality act pub stat notice provisions specifically provide citizen suits barred administrator state commenced action require compliance emphasis added language supports conclusion precluded citizen suit also action compliance rather action solely civil penalties past nonrecurring violations respondents also seek rely legislative history amendments act inter alia gave administrator authority assess civil penalties past violations without judicial enforcement proceedings water quality act pub stat respondents point provisions act statements legislative history effect administrative penalty action violation one effluent limitation bar citizen suit past violation another effluent limitation even two violations resulted discharge brief respondents respondents contend evidence demonstrates congress viewed act permitting citizen suits wholly past violations conclusions congress however hardly probative intent congress see rainwater moreover provisions legislative history act support arguments cut respondents well fact congress consciously chose past tense describe administrator new authority assess civil penalties suggests congress knows target past violations wants see supra legislative history demonstrates senate house bills conflict whether adopt present past tense compare pp act reflects congress chose adopt past tense senate bill see also warth seldin art iii requirement remains plaintiff still must allege distinct palpable injury emphasis added linda richard steadfastly adhered requirement federal plaintiffs must allege threatened actual injury resulting putatively illegal action federal may assume jurisdiction footnotes omitted emphasis added baker carr plaintiffs alleged personal stake outcome controversy assure concrete adverseness sharpens presentation issues upon largely depends illumination difficult constitutional questions emphasis added act plaintiffs also protected suddenly repentant defendant authority district courts award litigation costs whenever determines award appropriate legislative history provision explicitly award costs extend plaintiffs actions result successful abatement reach verdict instance result citizen proceeding verdict issued defendant abated violation may award litigation expenses borne plaintiffs prosecuting actions leg hist justice scalia justice stevens justice join concurring part concurring judgment join parts ii opinion join part iii believe misreads statute create peculiar new form jurisdiction concludes jurisdiction exists allegation defendant violation thereafter according interpretation plaintiff never called prove jurisdictional allegation ante creates regime extraordinary knowledge unique think context order carry lawsuit judgment allegations necessary proof allegations contested thinks necessary find congress produced jurisprudential anomaly conclusion view read word alleged seems quite contrary interpretation ignores words statute section citizen may commence civil action behalf person alleged violation emphasis added course nothing unusual proposition allegation required commence lawsuit proof never required practicably required stage clear unexceptionable language statute one two inferences made inference chooses requirement commencing suit requirement maintaining inference order maintain suit allegations required commence must contested proved seems favor first inference second prefer eccentric routine well ingrained law jurisdiction called question either challenging sufficiency allegation challenging accuracy jurisdictional facts alleged see land dollar thomson gaskill kvos associated press mcnutt general motors acceptance congress intended us eliminate second form challenge create extraordinary regime jurisdictional fact consists belief seems delivered instructions clear fashion merely specifying lawsuit commenced view therefore issue resolved appeals remand suit whether allegation continuing violation day suit brought made good faith reasonable inquiry whether petitioner fact violation date suit brought phrase violation unlike phrase violating committed violation suggests state rather act opposite state compliance good lucky day state compliance dubious state past effluent problem recurring moment cause problem completely clearly eradicated company violated effluent standard limitation remains purposes violation standard limitation long put place remedial measures clearly eliminate cause violation suffice defeat jurisdiction success attempted remedies becomes clear months even weeks suit filed jurisdiction depends state things time action brought existed suit brought subsequent events ous jurisdiction mollan torrance wheat see smith sperling paul mercury indemnity red cab requirement clarity cure past violation contained phrase violation rather novel theory jurisdiction goodfaith allegation meets concern practical difficulties detecting proving chronic episodic violations ante quoting brief amicus curiae thus think question remand whether petitioner taken remedial steps clearly achieved effect curing past violations time suit brought claim standard mine differ greatly practical application example almost certainly produce identical results lawsuit see supp ed district stating allegation continuing violation good faith relied entirely uncertainty whether cause tkn violation cured practical insignificance however makes puzzling willingness impute congress creation unprecedented scheme must alleged need proved ii even correct evidence state noncompliance produced survive motion dismissal grounds jurisdiction evidence still required order establish plaintiff standing gwaltney seek certiorari even appeal appeals denial motion dismiss lack standing raise standing issue us see reply brief petitioner event independent obligation inquire standing doubtful see bender williamsport area school undisputed defendant state compliance suit filed plaintiffs suffering remediable injury fact support suit constitutional requirement injury reflected statute defines citizen one interest may adversely affected see middlesex county sewerage authority national sea clammers accordingly even theory case seems remand require lower consider allegation state violation actual existence sure nothing opinion precludes consideration standing sound practice remand require see havens realty coleman combs per curiam course disposition call attention fact interpreted statute confer jurisdiction class cases terms statute possibly standing sue