Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition, et al., Plaintiffs, v. United States Army Corps of Engineers, et al., Defendants

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued four permits to fill headwater streams in conjunction with mountaintop removal coal mining in Appalachia. The Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition filed a suit against this decision claiming that the mining violated the Clean Water Act and the National Environmental Policy Act and led to stream and headwater destruction. The court was of the view that the Corps had not adequately addressed certain issues as to the impacts of the mining activity on the environment. Failing to conduct its review as required under the Clean Water Act and the National Environmental Policy Act, the Corps decided to issue a finding of “no significant impact” where Environmental Impact Statements could have been required. Congress had mandated the Corps to “maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nation’s waters,” which could require the Corps ultimately to deny the permits if the adverse impacts to the waters were significant. Thus, the court decided to remand the permits to the Corps for reconsideration in light of the courts’ Memorandum Order and Opinion.