Skip to content
The Climate Litigation Database
Litigation

Missouri v. U.S. Department of the Interior–Bureau of Reclamation

About this case

Documents

Filing Date
Type
Action Taken
Document
Summary
10/25/2021
Appeal
Notice of appeal filed by State of Missouri.
08/24/2021
Decision
Defendants' cross-motions for summary judgment granted and plaintiff's motion for summary judgment denied.
The federal district court for the Western District of Missouri granted summary judgment to defendants in the State of Missouri's challenge to the environmental review for the Central ND Project, a water diversion project to supply water to municipal, rural, and industrial users in North Dakota. The court found that the plaintiff did not prove that the defendants failed to adequately consider or disclose the project's adverse impacts. The court's decision did not address the complaint's allegation that the finding of no significant impact did not support its statement that the project would not substantively contribute to climate change.
09/25/2020
Complaint
Amended complaint filed.
06/08/2020
Decision
Defendants' motion to transfer to the District of North Dakota denied.
02/04/2020
Complaint
Complaint filed.
The State of Missouri filed a federal court lawsuit charging that the Bureau of Reclamation, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and a North Dakota agency violated the National Environmental Policy Act when they authorized the Central ND Project, which would divert water from the Missouri River. Missouri alleged that the Finding of No Significant Impact for the project “stated, without proper analysis,” that the project would not substantively contribute to climate change or affect park lands, farming lands, wetlands, wild and scenic rivers, or ecologically critical areas.

Summary

Challenge to federal defendants' environmental review for the the Central North Dakota Water Supply Project.