Court Rejects Wisconsin Highway Expansion, Orders Agencies to Reconsider Alternatives

摘要

A federal district court in Wisconsin ruled Sept. 14 that state and federal authorities must reconsider a highway expansion project because Clean Water Act permits were wrongly issued after an inadequate evaluation of project alternatives (Highway J Citizens Group U.A. v. U.S. Transportation Department, E.D. Wis., No. 05-C-212, 9/14/09).rnJudge Lynn Adelman of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin vacated a 2002 administrative decision and U.S. Corps of Engineers permits from 2005 and 2006 regarding the dredging and filling of wetlands.rnThe court remanded the case to highway agencies to cure deficiencies in the environmental impact statement and reconsider construction decisions. A court-ordered status conference will be held Oct. 29.