Jul 3: In the U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit, Case Nos. 11-1283 & 11-1421. Appealed from the United States District Court for the District of Delaware. According to the Appeals Court, at issue is whether the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers can deepen the main channel of the Delaware River by five feet, enabling river ports to be economically competitive and at the same time, comply with statutes that protect the environment. The roots of the project trace back decades.
In 1992, Congress authorized the project and appropriated $195 million. It continued to support the effort with regular appropriations for the next twenty years. Commencement was delayed for several reasons, but in the fall of 2009, the Corps was ready to proceed. In October 2009, New Jersey and Delaware filed suits in the District Courts of New Jersey and Delaware to enjoin the Corps from dredging the deeper channel. They alleged violations of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Clean Water Act (CWA), and the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA). Each District Court granted summary judgment to the Corps, holding no environmental statutes would be breached. The Appeals Court affirmed.
Over the decades an Environmental Impact Statement, a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, and an updated Environmental Assessment recommended the project proceed because its substantial economic benefits outweighed any possible adverse environmental effects. Citing numerous related decisions from other circuits, the Appeals Court said, "In our review of the Corps' conduct, we conclude that its publication of the 2009 EA was neither arbitrary nor capricious."
The Appeals Court said further, "Despite the Corps' comprehensive public engagement, appellants contend it acted arbitrarily and capriciously under NEPA. They argue the Corps provided inadequate public notice; erred in declining to publish a FONSI alongside the EA; erred in not circulating a draft of the EA for public review before publication; and did not meaningfully review the comments submitted. None of these claims has merit."
The Appeals Court concludes, "For over twenty years, the Corps has devoted substantial efforts to evaluating the proposed five foot deepening project for the Delaware River. It has published three comprehensive NEPA reports, received multiple rounds of public comments, and had immeasurable communications with the relevant state and federal agencies. Its decision in 2009 to proceed with the project was consistent with NEPA, the CWA, and the CZMA. Accordingly, we will affirm the judgments of the District Courts of New Jersey and Delaware."
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