Environmentalists Lose Missouri River Case

[GreenPartyVoter]

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Missouri River can operate without changes sought by environmentalists to save endangered fish and birds, a federal judge ruled Monday.

U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson ruled in favor of the Army Corps of Engineers on Monday on all counts. His 51-page order came nearly a year after a different federal judge ordered the changes and, when corps leaders refused to act, cited them for contempt.

Magnuson, a St. Paul, Minn., judge, blocked the contempt citation last year after taking over the river litigation.

Conservation groups will weigh whether to appeal.

http://apnews1.iwon.com/article/20040623/D83CHM900.html