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<br />~ockyMountajn News 501., Aug. 5,1
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<br />Judge Win.,
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<br />u.s. court seeks
<br />consolidation 01
<br />water hoard suit
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<br />'lIy JEltRYBlWWl'l
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<br />w~t:i~~~~h&~~~~OZs~be'~~~
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<br />as quicldy,wi'~ii)le;a federl!lj~~gllMid "
<br />Frid~yl!" Will dOlly~ng hec:!Uto l!laJ;e ~ut~
<br />a lawswt pen<!lng III hiS court sellle$ the .matter
<br />once.and for all:, , ,., \,'
<br />Den,veru.S, DlstrictJudg~1?red M. v,'mnei:
<br />said he ~opes toel<pa)ld al~wstii(fj1ed17 J'IIO~thS
<br />ago by. the Den,'. ,v.e,r." W~le," rBo,ard,toi~clude,".4s,,'
<br />many I!S possible legl\l qUe$tions that,!lligll\~
<br />raised~bouttl)e!ll'O~t, " '"
<br />"I beli'Wl"l\lldbo)li~ve'le1'fStrol)gly,",Wii9Jer
<br />sajd,"i!lIl;iVitlg aIll)fia ~nIrov~~ypresei11~ili;
<br />a'sin~ fO!'\llllc""hllt:;caue1'l\d.\hroughOOt tJia. ~
<br />,UnitedStall'l!i!\avarietyofh\wm)jtS.'" " .
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<br />BUT Bj;FoRJ;; Pl\OCEED~(l ftirther,wlQr
<br />the case, Winii.er,toltf wat\lrbolii'dlal'Y~m
<br />sublJlilane',Vco~plailllto lIimbY Aug; 2!SQ tl;l;lt,
<br />all issUliS)'~ liy !be walllt 1Mii!i'd Wi1I be:C)llF
<br />taitledin;l sinlll~dQ<:lIInlll1t. , , , ,', ,', ,'.,
<br />W'uJllera/soWiped thesi,ale Clean of :I1l(l<!1l{l:
<br />ing ~efellSemcltil>>lS;in~fect cle~ing the'way
<br />for thec~tost.!rlatreshafter the,waterbOaril,
<br />submiis itS amended C9nlPliiint. " , .',
<br />Thewa\e1' b<!ard fUe!j the1awsilltinldarcll1~ I
<br />10force't!le,BUrerv!' ,~UofUmd Matjil~ell!entandf 'h~ j
<br />U.S.FOl'e$l~ce to approv.,.a senes 0 ,t16'''' · f
<br />of,waypennitSf6itheprojecl. ' , ~
<br />'The two agencie$since have issued the per, ",'
<br />mitS. a1lhou2b,the~waler board is, challen"iri",_
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<br />some of the conditions attached to them. -, - 1
<br />The board now wantS to expand the lawsuit to a
<br />class action, bringing in as defendantS any
<br />organizations or individuals who might chal,
<br />lenge the validity of the environmental impact
<br />statement on the project prepared by the Bureau
<br />of Land Management.
<br />Named by the water board as potential defend-
<br />ants are the Colorado Open Space Council, Trout
<br />Unlimited. Environmental Defense Fund, Water
<br />Users Alliance, Robert Weaver of Trout Unlim,
<br />ited, John Bermingham of the Water Users Al.
<br />Iiance and Toni Worcester of the League of
<br />Women Voters.' ,
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<br />TIlE COLORADO RIVERS Council, which
<br />representS West Slope water interestS, also is
<br />named as a potential "class representative" de-
<br />fendant, even though tbe organization already
<br />has intervened in the case on itS own behaU.
<br />Water board lawyers said Friday they may ex.
<br />pand the list when they file their amended com-.
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<br />One possJ6Ie addition, one lawyer ','
<br />Colorado Department of Naluralllesources an
<br />itS executive director. Harris Sherman,
<br />der the National Environme~tal Policy.Act,
<br />pe~o ,
<br />mental impact statement can file the challenge
<br />in the U.s, District Court that has jurisdiction or
<br />in U.S. District Court in Washington, D. C.
<br />Because of the pro.environmentalist reputa,
<br />tion of the Washington court. environmental
<br />groups often prefer to file litigation there. The
<br />water board and Winner want to head off such
<br />such a move.
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<br />WINNER SAID lIE IS conceined that, if
<br />federal appeUate courts in Colorado and Wash-
<br />ington ultimately come out on diHerent sides of
<br />the issue because separate lawsuitS were filed,
<br />the controversy only would become more compli.
<br />cated. '
<br />Even if there is only one lawsuit. WIDner pre-
<br />dicted it has a good chance of being decided
<br />ultimately by the U.s. Supreme Court.
<br />Winner issued an invitation for anyone inter.
<br />ested to intervene on either side. "Come on in,
<br />the water's fine," Winner said would be his ad.
<br />vice to anyone interested in participating in the
<br />case.
<br />He also indicated, however, that he would not
<br />force individuals or groups to participate if they
<br />indicate to the court 'they ;lte not interested in
<br />being a party to the controversy.
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<br />00637
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