Opinion ID: 2106246
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Continuing Jurisdiction of the Federal Court

Text: In considering the propriety of these permits, two considerations of fundamental importance govern us. First, we made it clear in our prior decision and now reiterate that the parties to this litigation are governed by the Federal court's decision in Reserve Mining Co. v. Environmental Protection Agency, 8 Cir., 514 F.2d 492, and that Reserve will be held strictly to the conditions already imposed or hereafter changed or modified by that court and by state and Federal pollution laws. As we have previously indicated, the Federal court initially assumed jurisdiction because Lake Superior constituted an interstate and international body of water. As the litigation progressed and the dimensions of the air pollution issue expanded, the Federal court invoked the doctrine of pendent jurisdiction. It recognized, however, that the Federal courts would not otherwise have independent jurisdiction over the air pollution issue. 514 F.2d 522, note 55. Second, the permit conditions which were appended to our original order of April 7, 1977, and the subsequent opinion of May 27, 1977, were reached by mutual agreement between PCA, DNR, Reserve, Armco Steel Corporation and Republic Steel Corporation. None of those conditions was drafted or prepared by this court and none of them raised an issue on which this court was obliged to pass when our prior decision was rendered. They were adopted by the court on the representation by all parties that those conditions reflected the composite views and agreement of the state agencies and the various mining companies. There was no suggestion by counsel that any of the conditions we attached to our decision was controversial or that their interpretation and implementation would be the subject of further litigation.