Another suit challenges Ruby pipeline

RENO, Nev. — Another legal challenge to the Ruby Pipeline — a portion of which crosses northern Utah — has been mounted, this time by environmental groups that claim its proposed route will have detrimental impacts to wildlife habitat, open space and cultural sites.

Defenders of Wildlife, the Sierra Club Toiyabe Chapter and Great Basin Resource Watch filed suit late last week in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals against the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

"We are not opposed to a gas pipeline, but the route that Ruby Pipeline has chosen is wrong for Nevada," said David von Seggern of the Sierra Club. "Damage could be greatly reduced and more jobs created closer to where they're needed if they'd only move the pipeline to existing roads and developed corridors, maybe only 65 miles longer."

The groups contend inadequate environmental reviews were conducted, failing to consider potential harm to water, public and tribal lands and wildlife.

The natural gas pipeline begins in Wyoming and ends in Oregon.

Environmental critics say not only would "pristine" and undeveloped lands be disturbed, but the pipeline also would threaten an estimated 800 cultural sites and numerous breeding areas for imperiled sage grouse. It also would cross nearly 1,100 bodies of water, they say.

"We've got no problem with getting natural gas to the West Coast market," said Adam Kron, staff attorney for Defenders of Wildlife. "But we do have a problem with the proposed route's impacts to water, wildlife and important lands."

The Center For Biological Diversity filed suit this summer after the $3 billion, 680-mile-long pipeline received federal approval. Earlier this month, the 9th Circuit rejected the organization's motion for an injunction to halt construction pending its case being heard.

e-mail: amyjoi@desnews.com