Opinion ID: 364067
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: A Sketch of Prior Litigation.

Text: 13 The present case is only one of several initiated in response to appellees' four projects. Various combinations of plaintiffs and defendants have skirmished inconclusively in both federal and state court. In the first case, filed September 20, 1973, the League and the Sierra Club initiated a suit in federal district court against the TRPA, Harvey's and Park claiming that the TRPA failed to comply with the Compact's requirements and focusing predominantly on the surface coverage provisions adopted by the TRPA. This suit engendered two opinions by this court; neither reached the substance of the claim. Thus, in League to Save Lake Tahoe v. Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, 507 F.2d 517 (9th Cir. 1974), after the district court first dismissed the action for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction, we reversed, holding that interpretation of an interstate compact raised a federal question. After remand, in League to Save Lake Tahoe v. Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, 558 F.2d 914 (9th Cir. 1977), we reversed a second dismissal seemingly premised upon impermissible joinder. Subsequent to these two reversals, the parties voluntarily dismissed a third appeal from a denial of a preliminary injunction. 14 In a second suit, filed August 7, 1974, the State of California attacked the validity of the Jennings and Kahle permits asserting that the permits could not be considered deemed approved because the TRPA's vote had failed to yield a dual majority. This court upheld the district court's interpretation of the Compact to the effect that a dual majority was required before any action could be taken, and that therefore the failure of a vote to yield a dual majority means that the local permit issuing authority in effect stands affirmed. California ex rel. Younger v. Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, 516 F.2d 215, 219 (9th Cir.), Cert. denied, 423 U.S. 868, 96 S.Ct. 131, 46 L.Ed.2d 97 (1975). Afterwards, the district court dismissed the action pursuant to the opinion and mandate of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on October 15, 1975. 15 The League filed suit against the TRPA and all appellees in Nevada state court on August 16, 1974. It claimed that the permit issuances violated TRPA ordinances and state and local permit requirements. The League asserted the same lack of findings and insubstantial evidence claims raised in the present suit. The trial court dismissed the action in September 1975 because the League failed to qualify to do business as a corporation in Nevada prior to filing the complaint. The Nevada Supreme Court affirmed the lower court, going on to state that refiling would be barred by the Nevada 25-day limitation period (N.R.S. § 278.027), for challenges to local land approvals. League to Save Lake Tahoe v. Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, 563 P.2d 582 (Nev.1977). 16 Finally, the League filed suit May 3, 1976 in federal district court contending that air quality certificates for the Jennings and Kahle projects had been issued in violation of the Clean Air Act. Dismissed on jurisdictional grounds by the district court, this suit is presently on appeal to this court. League to Save Lake Tahoe v. Trounday, Ninth Circuit No. 77-2058.