8-K

                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              WASHINGTON, DC 20549


                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT
         PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT
                                     OF 1934

        Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): March 26, 2003



                          AMERICAN ECOLOGY CORPORATION
                          ----------------------------
             (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)

           DELAWARE                       0-11688                95-3889638
           --------                       -------                ----------
(State or other jurisdiction of  (Commission File Number)   (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization)                            Identification Number)

      Lakepointe Centre I,
    300 E. Mallard, Suite 300
         Boise, Idaho                                         83706
- --------------------------------                              -----
(Address of principal executive                             (Zip Code)
            offices)

                                 (208) 331-8400
                                 --------------
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)



ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS.

On March 28, 2003, American Ecology Corporation issued a press release to
announce that its wholly owned subsidiary, US Ecology, Inc., has received an
adverse judgment in the case styled US Ecology, Inc.  v. The State of
California, et al. The press release, dated March 28, 2003, is attached as
Exhibit 99 and incorporated by reference herein.

ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.

     (c)  Exhibits. The following exhibit is filed as part of this report:

Exhibit 99     Press Release, dated March 28, 2003, entitled "SUPERIOR COURT
               RULES AGAINST US ECOLOGY IN WARD VALLEY CASE"



This Form 8-K contains forward-looking statements related to unknown risks and
uncertainties. These risks include, but are not limited to access to capital, as
well as compliance with and changes to applicable laws and regulations, exposure
to litigation, access to insurance and financial assurances, new technologies,
competitive environment, labor issues, and loss of major contracts. The audited
consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto filed on Form 10-K for
the year ending December 31, 2002 contains additional risk factors and an
expanded disclosure of these risks. When the Company uses words like "may,"
"believes," "expects," "anticipates," "should," "estimate," "project," "plan,"
their opposites and similar expressions, the Company is making forward-looking
statements. These terms are most often used in statements relating to business
plans, strategies, anticipated benefits or projections about the anticipated
revenues, earnings or other aspects of our operating results. The Company makes
these statements in an effort to keep stockholders and the public informed about
our business based on our current expectations about future events. Such
statements should be viewed with caution and are not guarantees of future
performance or events. Our business is subject to uncertainties, risks and other
influences, many of which the Company has no control over. Additionally, these
factors, either alone or taken together, could have a material adverse effect on
the Company and could change whether any forward-looking statement ultimately
turns out to be true. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly release
updates or revisions to these statements. The above discussion should be read in
conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and the notes
thereto filed on Form 10-K for the year ending December 31, 2002.


SIGNATURES
- ----------

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.


                                             AMERICAN ECOLOGY
                                             CORPORATION
                                             (Registrant)

Date:  March 28, 2003                        By:/S/ James R. Baumgardner


                                        2

EX-99.1

Exhibit 99 Press Release, dated March 28, 2003, entitled "SUPERIOR COURT RULES
AGAINST US ECOLOGY IN WARD VALLEY CASE"

[GRAPHIC OMITTED]

AE    NEWS RELEASE
      For Immediate Release / March 28, 2003
      Contact: Chad Hyslop (208) 331-8400
      info@americanecology.com     www.americanecology.com
      ------------------------     -----------------------



           SUPERIOR COURT RULES AGAINST US ECOLOGY IN WARD VALLEY CASE

             COMPANY TO WRITE OFF $21 MILLION IN WARD VALLEY ASSETS


     BOISE,  Idaho  -  Stephen  Romano, President and Chief Executive Officer of
American  Ecology  Corporation  [NASDAQ:  ECOL], today announced that California
Superior  Court  Judge  E.  Mac Amos, Jr. issued a Statement of Decision finding
that  subsidiary  US  Ecology,  Inc.  had  failed  to establish causation in its
promissory  estoppel  claim against the State of California. The March 26 ruling
further  stated  that  US  Ecology's  claim is barred by the doctrine of unclean
hands.  The  latter finding was based on actions the Court concluded had created
obstacles  to  an  agreement  to  convey  the Ward Valley property to the State.

     In  May  2000,  US Ecology sued the State of California, its Governor, Gray
Davis,  the  Director  of  its  Department  of  Health  Services and other State
agencies  for  monetary  damages exceeding $162 million. The suit stems from the
State's  abandonment  of  the  Ward Valley project. The ruling, if upheld, would
absolve the State from any financial obligation for costs previously incurred by
US  Ecology  to  develop  the  project.

     "We  are  now  analyzing  the  Statement of Decision with the assistance of
legal counsel," Romano stated, adding, "the Company will be evaluating its legal
options  based  on  this  analysis."

     While  ruling  in  favor  of  the  State,  Judge Amos did find that certain
elements  of  the  Company's  promissory  estoppel  claim  had been established.
Specifically,  the  Court  ruled  that  the State of California made a clear and
unambiguous promise to US Ecology in 1988 to use its best efforts to acquire the
Ward  Valley  site,  that  the  State subsequently abandoned this promise during
Governor  Davis'  administration, and that the Company's reliance on the State's
promise  was reasonable. However, the Court found that the State's breach of its
best  efforts  promise  was  not  a  substantial factor in causing damages to US
Ecology  since the federal government had continued to resist the land transfer.


                                        3

     Speaking  on  the  financial  impact of the ruling, Jim Baumgardner, Senior
Vice  President and Chief Financial Officer stated, "The Company is no longer in
a position to conclude from an accounting standpoint that it is more likely than
not  that  it  will  recover  its  investment  in the project. Consequently, the
Company  will  write  down  the  $21  million in Ward Valley assets in the first
quarter  of  2003."  American Ecology reported net total assets of approximately
$87  million  at  December 31, 2002. "While negatively impacting earnings during
the  quarter and year, the decision to write down Ward Valley assets has no cash
impact to the Company," Baumgardner added, concluding, "the Company continues to
possess  sufficient  financial  wherewithal  to meet its ongoing obligations and
execute  its  current  business  plan."

     American  Ecology  Corporation,  through  its  subsidiaries,  provides
radioactive,  PCB,  hazardous and non-hazardous waste services to commercial and
government customers throughout the United States, such as nuclear power plants,
steel  mills,  medical  and academic institutions and petro-chemical facilities.
Headquartered  in  Boise,  Idaho,  the  Company  is  the  oldest radioactive and
hazardous  waste  services  Company  in  the  United  States.

     This  press  release  contains forward-looking statements that are based on
our  current  expectations,  beliefs, and assumptions. Actual results may differ
materially  from what is expressed herein and no assurance can be given that the
company  can  generate  future  earnings,  successfully  appeal  the Ward Valley
ruling,  or prevail in other pending litigation. For information on factors that
could cause actual results to differ from expectations, please refer to American
Ecology Corporation's Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.

                                      ###


                                       4