Environmentalists who have sought through the courts without success for more than 10 years to stop construction on the Burr Trail in Garfield County have lost another battle in the long-ranging legal fight.
The group's latest actions were perceived as "further delaying tactics" in a May 19 memorandum filed by Garfield County's legal counsel Barbara Hjelle and forwarded to Federal District Court Judge Bruce Jenkins. An environmental coalition filed a motion April 29 asking permission to seek an order for a supplemental review by the National Environmental Protection Agency.Jenkins ruled against the coalition, stating further oral argument could serve no useful purpose and that the group's motion did not raise new issues or new evidence that would cause the court to reconsider earlier decisions.
Environmentalists have attempted to stop construction on the 66-mile-long road with a series of lawsuits that have been costly to Garfield County.
Garfield County has spent several million dollars on the project, most from a $7 million grant from the Community Impact Board.