The Daily Advance reports that a federal appeals court recently heard arguments pertaining to a lawsuit over North Carolina DOT’s plan to construct the Mid-Currituck toll bridge. The Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), which lost in a lower court challenge, asked appellate judges “to halt the project until an updated EIS can be completed in part because the projected sea-level rise is more severe” than anticipated by state and federal agencies. SELC also claimed that official traffic volume projections are outdated. Attorneys for NCDOT and FHWA defended the EIS and suggested that data on rising sea levels, if anything, underscores the necessity of building the bridge. A state spokesperson said a decision is not expected for several months and the project timeline will not be updated until litigation is completed.
