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ARTICLE · 06 OCTOBER 2026

Federal Court Halts Stehekin Road Project

Beveridge & Diamond, P.C.
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On September 28, 2026, a Seattle federal court in North Cascades Conservation Council v. National Park Service issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) halting construction of a road segment within the channel of the Stehekin River in the North Cascades National Park Complex, after finding a strong likelihood that the National Park Service (NPS) violated the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) by relying on a categorical exclusion that did not adequately consider impacts to aquatic habitat and ecology.

United StatesEnvironment
James M. Auslander
James M. Auslander
Eric L. Christensen
Eric L. Christensen
Jesse Miles
Jesse Miles

Key Takeaways

  • On September 28, 2026, a Seattle federal court in North Cascades Conservation Council v. National Park Service issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) halting construction of a road segment within the channel of the Stehekin River in the North Cascades National Park Complex, after finding a strong likelihood that the National Park Service (NPS) violated the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) by relying on a categorical exclusion that did not adequately consider impacts to aquatic habitat and ecology.
  • The TRO is preliminary and does not decide whether NPS ultimately violated NEPA. Nevertheless, it underscores that agencies using categorical exclusions must adequately consider extraordinary circumstances and important environmental effects before authorizing work.

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