ELR Citation: ELR 20666
No(s). CV78-L-90 (D. Neb. Jul 21, 1978)

In a suit challenging the grant of a permit under §404 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, the court issues an order allowing plaintiffs to submit evidence outside the administrative record. Plaintiffs, seeking to block completion of the Missouri Basin Power Project in consolidated suits, allege a failure to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and contend that the decision to issue the §404 permit for the construction of Grayrocks Dam and Reservoir violated the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) in that it was arbitrary, capricious, and not in accordance with law. The court first holds that plaintiffs may introduce evidence outside the administrative record in support of their claim that the environmental impact statement for the project is inadequate under NEPA. In claiming that the §404 permit was issued in violation of the APA, plaintiffs argued that certain legally required factors were not considered in the decision to issue the permit. Because the record would contain no reference to such factors, in order for the court to determine whether the decision was made in accordance with law, the court allows plaintiffs to introduce evidence outside the administrative record to demonstrate the existence of factors alleged to have been disregarded illegally.

Counsel for Plaintiffs
Paul W. Snyder, Ass't Attorney General
2115 State Capitol, Lincoln NE 68509
(402) 471-2682

Counsel for Defendants
Gary B. Randall; James W. Moorman, Ass't Attorney General; Fred R. Disheroon
Land and Natural Resources Division
Department of Justice, Washington DC 20530
(202) 739-3796

Henry Freedman
Office of General Counsel
Department of Agriculture, Washington DC 20250
(202) 447-3764

Counsel for Intervening Plaintiffs Nebraska Wildlife Federation et al.
Patrick A. Parenteau
National Wildlife Federation
1412 16th St. NW, Washington DC 20036
(202) 797-6800

Virgil J. Haggart Jr., William G. Dittrick
Baird, Holm, McEachen, Pederson, Hammann & Haggart
1500 Woodman Tower, Omaha NE 68102
(402) 344-0500

Counsel for Intervening Plaintiffs Powder River Basin Resource Council and Laramie River Conservation Council
David F. Palmerlee
Redle, Yonkee & Arney
P.O. Box 6288, Sheridan WY 82801
(307) 674-7454

Albert M. Engles
Hansen, Katz & Engles
610 Service Life Ins. Bldg., 1904 Farnam St., Omaha NE 68102
(402) 348-0900

Counsel for Intervening Defendants Basin Electric Power Cooperative et al.
Edward Weinberg, Frederick L. Miller Jr.
Duncan, Brown, Weinberg & Palmer
Suite 777, 1700 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington DC 20006
(202) 296-4325

William H. Wisdom, General Counsel
Basin Electric Power Cooperative
1717 E. Interstate Ave., Bismarck ND 58501
(701) 223-0441

Norman Krivosha, Larry V. Albers
Ginsburg, Rosenberg, Ginsburg & Krivosha
820 Stewart Bldg., Lincoln NE 68508
(402) 432-3321

Thomas McCaffrey, General Counsel
Tri-state Generation and Transmission Ass'n
12076 Grant St., Thornton CO 80241
(303) 452-6111

Patrick Healey
Healey, Brown & Wieland
1141 H St., P.O. Box 83104, Lincoln NE 68501
(402) 432-2847