United States Fourth Circuit

In a challenge to the Department of the Navy's construction of a landing field for aircraft, the district court did not err in concluding that the Navy's Environmental Impact Statement failed to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act.

Appellate Information

• Argued 07/20/2005
• Decided 09/07/2005
• Published 09/07/2005

Judges

• Before WILKINSON, WILLIAMS, and TRAXLER, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Fourth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• ARGUED:  Aaron Peter Avila, United States Department of Justice, Washington, D.C., for Appellants.  Kiran H. Mehta, Kennedy, Covington, Lobdell & Hickman, L.L.P., Charlotte, North Carolina;  Derb Stancil Carter, Jr., Southern Environmental Law Center, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, for Appellees.   ON BRIEF:  Kelly A. Johnson, Acting Assistant Attorney General, Frank D. Whitney, United States Attorney, Jeffrey Bossert Clark, Deputy Assistant Attorney General, R.A. Renfer, Jr., Assistant United States Attorney, G. Norman Acker, III, Assistant United States Attorney, Stephen G. Bartell, United States Department of Justice, Environment & Natural Resources Division, Washington, D.C.;  Robert J. Smith, Navy Litigation Office, Washington, D.C., for Appellants.  Raymond E. Owens, Jr., Christopher C. Lam, Kennedy, Covington, Lobdell & Hickman, L.L.P., Charlotte, North Carolina, for Appellees Washington County, North Carolina, and Beaufort County, North Carolina;  Michelle B. Nowlin, Southern Environmental Law Center, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, for Appellees National Audubon Society, North Carolina Wildlife Federation, and Defenders of Wildlife.  Sharon Buccino, David Newman, Natural Resources Defense Council, Washington, D.C., for Amicus Curiae, Natural Resources Defense Council, Supporting Appellees.