Judge expedites hearing on Monroe Bypass

In a ruling today, a federal judge said that he “will not hestiate” to permanently halt the proposed Monroe Bypass if he finds that NCDOT violated the National Environmental Policy Act. 

While Judge James C. Dever, III, found our motion for preliminary injunction to be premature, he is expediting our case to ensure a fair hearing on the merits before NCDOT is irretrievably committed to the project, and he will allow us to renew our motion for preliminary injunction if permits are issued to prevent the agency from issuing bonds.

On behalf of the N.C. Wildlife Federation, Yadkin Riverkeeper and Clean Air  Carolina, SELC sued NCDOT in November 2010 and sought  a preliminary judgment to immediately halt work on the proposed 20-mile bypass due to the agency's botched environmental analysis which failed to account for the full impacts of the project, pr of less damaging and less expensive alternatives.

Read the judge's order.