By Tracy Fugure
Fargo, ND – The attorney for "People to Save the Sheyenne River, Incorporated" says thegroup may sue the state of North Dakota.
Bill McKechnie says the non-profit corporation has put the stateof North Dakota officially on notice and they may sue if the state proceedswith building a drainage ditch from Devils Lake into the Peterson coulee - which then goes into the Sheyenne River--without having an appropriate environmentalassessment completed.
"There will be no lawsuit if the state doesn't proceed. But if the state does not attempt to get a permit--they have to get a Point Source Pollution permit - we will move forward. If they start digging, we will move forward. We don't have any choice. We will seek conjunctive relief and other damages that are available to the people in the Sheyenne River group. And essentially, they'll be acting as private attorney generals. They will be representing all the citizens of North Dakota who stand against an environmentally unsound project."
The group says that the water quality and downstream damage from an outletcreates a reasonable scientific basis to not build a drainage outlet. Thegroup also says that the problem with Devils Lake is drainage from theupper basin.