IATP Hog Report - Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
IATP Hog Report - Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
IATP Hog Report - Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
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Section 5<br />
The EPA further concluded that: 70<br />
there is a reasonable likelihood that the facility will not<br />
have a wastewater discharge within the next 25 years if<br />
constructed, operated <strong>and</strong> monitored as designed.<br />
(emphasis added)<br />
http://www.iatp.org/hogreport/sec5.html (14 of 38)2/27/2006 3:50:13 AM<br />
Finally, the EPA "strongly recommended" that: 71<br />
be<strong>for</strong>e operations begin, the BIA <strong>and</strong> the Tribe, with EPA<br />
assistance if you wish, work to ensure a sufficient resource<br />
base <strong>for</strong> the Tribe to regulate the facility <strong>and</strong> per<strong>for</strong>m its<br />
monitoring <strong>and</strong> en<strong>for</strong>cement responsibilities.<br />
Meanwhile, in the course of the CRAC, et al. litigation, Justice<br />
Department lawyers, on behalf of BIA, filed a pro <strong>for</strong>ma "denial of legal<br />
liability," claiming that the "environmental assessment was in compliance<br />
with federal environmental <strong>and</strong> historic preservation laws." 72,73 One day<br />
after the Justice Department filing, however, Kevin Gover, Assistant<br />
Interior Secretary <strong>for</strong> Indian Affairs in Washington, DC, voided the lease<br />
between Sun Prairie <strong>and</strong> RST, as he concluded that the environmental<br />
assessment had been inadequate <strong>and</strong> felt it was important to establish the<br />
environmental impact of the project. 74 The litigants' then settled the case.<br />
At this development, attorneys representing Bell Farms <strong>and</strong> the Tribal<br />
Council brought suit against the BIA in Federal District Court in South<br />
Dakota aiming to overthrow BIA's decision to void the lease. The litigants<br />
Concerned Rosebud Area Citizens, Humane Farming Association, Prairie<br />
Hills Audubon Society, <strong>and</strong> South Dakota Peace <strong>and</strong> Justice Center then<br />
intervened on the side of the BIA to affirm its decision to void the lease.<br />
Federal District Court Judge Charles Kornmann at Pierre, South Dakota,<br />
heard the case. Judge Kornmann accused Gover of abusing his<br />
discretionary powers <strong>and</strong> acting in an "arbitrary <strong>and</strong> capricious" manner<br />
when he ordered work stopped on environmental grounds. 75 In February<br />
1999, Judge Kornmann issued a preliminary injunction enjoining the BIA<br />
<strong>and</strong> the interveners from taking any action that might interfere with the<br />
construction <strong>and</strong> operation of the first phase of the project while he studied<br />
the issues. He promised he would render a swift decision. 76 The<br />
intervening groups appealed Judge Kornmann's preliminary injunction<br />
arguing they ought not to have been included in the injunction. The BIA<br />
also appealed the injunction.<br />
Meanwhile construction went ahead. The first of the project's thirteen sites