With the Supreme Court about to regroup for its new term, a familiar storyline looks set to play out in two Clean Water Act cases scheduled for argument. It's an oft-repeated tale about the high court -- which reconvenes for oral arguments on Oct. 1 -- and its relationship with the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The plot: Environmental groups file a lawsuit against a government agency or business interest. The case ends up before the 9th Circuit, which is often castigated by conservatives as being too sympathetic to environmental interests. The appeals court rules in favor of the environmental group. The losing party then seeks Supreme Court review. The more conservative high court then reverses or vacates the 9th Circuit, perhaps lobbing some colorful criticism in the direction of the lower court in the process. Go to story #1