« Ind. Decisions - Interesting oral argument tomorrow before COA on issue of hospital charges | Main | Law - New Social Security calculators can help figure out when to begin collecting benefits »

Tuesday, August 02, 2011

Environment - "Environmentalists sue to block I-69 construction over caves and wetlands"

From the Bloomington Herald-Times, Rebecca Troyer reports:

Landowners affected by the I-69 project, Citizens for Appropriate Rural Roads and the I-69 Accountability Project filed the suit in the U.S. District Court for Southern Indiana about a week after federal highway officials signed off on the Final Environmental Impact Statement for Section 4 of I-69.

The suit claims the Indiana Department of Transportation’s I-69 project violates the National Environmental Policy Act and Administrative Procedures Act and names INDOT, the Federal Highway Administration and the U.S. Department of Transportation as defendants.

“If the Defendants’ actions are not enjoined and reversed, they will cause irreparable harm to the region’s ecosystems, endangered species, natural resources and environmental quality, the Plaintiff organizations and their members, and the public as described herein, in violation of federal law, and contrary to the public interest,” the complaint states. “Plaintiffs seek declaratory and injunctive relief, and their attorneys’ fees and costs.” * * *

In February the Hoosier Environmental Council and Citizens for Appropriate Rural Roads filed a federal lawsuit claiming the I-69 highway through Greene and Daviess counties would “destroy valuable natural resources” and violate the federal Clean Water Act. That lawsuit asked that the highway be rerouted to a less environmentally disruptive route along existing highways, U.S. 41 and Interstate 70.

Once completed, the new portion of I-69 in Indiana will stretch from Evansville to Indianapolis. Divided into six sections, the project is in various stages of completion. Motorists are already driving on portions of the road near Evansville, and other sections are under construction.

Here is a copy of the 42-page complaint filed yesterday in the SD Ind.

See also this July 6th story by Eric Bradner of the Evansville Courier & Press, discussing the Bloomington Metropolitan Planning Organization's efforts, and this Feb. 11th HEC YouTube video on the federal lawsuit filed re Greene and Daviess county construction.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on August 2, 2011 06:06 PM
Posted to Environment