 At a hearing on May 22, 1990, Judge Brett announced his refusal to reconsider the seven dismissed claims, ending the lawsuit, and ruled all remaining pending motions moot. At the hearing, Brett said that the issue at the heart of the suit was the highway's effect on area residents. While this was a legitimate interest, the judge said, it was not covered by the environmental laws under which the plaintiffs chose to challenge the project. Brett also pointed out that the environmental questions were at that time under review by the appropriate federal agencies.
