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The long-delayed Legacy Highway project -- now a ribbon of hotly contested dirt through south Davis County -- is not going to be built anytime soon.
A federal appeals court ruled Monday that an environmental- impact study (EIS) did not adequately consider routes less harmful to Great Salt Lake wetlands, and that the permitting process was "inadequate" and "arbitrary and capricious."
The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals particularly pointed to the state's failure to evaluate the abandoned Denver & Rio Grande Western rail corridor as a route -- paralleling Interstate 15 -- that would have less impact on wetlands than the 14-mile route selected farther west.
The decision could hardly have been worse for state leaders, especially Gov. Mike Leavitt, who has been the project's leading proponent throughout the ongoing, costly court battle.
For those who brought the lawsuit -- a coalition of environmentalists, sensible-growth advocates and Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson -- the ruling was hailed as "a victory for everyone."
Leavitt, though, was undaunted.
"Any rumor of Legacy's death is false," he declared.
Others were stunned.
"I'm extremely disappointed. I'm surprised. I just can't believe it. I just can't believe it," said Davis County Commissioner Carol Page. "Traffic will continue to get worse. It's not going to go away."
Utah taxpayers have paid approximately $17 million so far in nonbudgeted suspension costs to the project's contractor -- costs that would be...