Anybody at all can sue, claiming an inadequate EIR, or claiming non-compliance with an approved report. It doesn't matter if the facts justify the action or not - they can not be easily dismissed for lack of evidence. the case almost always has to get heard, even if frivolous. It's all in the federal law books.

Some wacko President gave them that legal standing way back when (If I recall correctly, it was in mid to late 70s). After that, it was no longer necessary to be an "involved party" in in order to have legal standing to sue - at least for environmental lawsuits. At the same time, they also wrote into the law that they also can get federal grant money to finance these environmental lawsuits.

So of course it's now a gravy train for every shyster with extra time on his hands. You and I pay twice, first for the grant money from our taxes; then again when we loose our jobs to this idiocy. What is even more appalling is that it seems so few people are actually aware of these special arrangements that enable every environmental vigilante from hell to breakfast the right to sue and the money to pay for it too!

I suppose it is because the media rarely tells the whole story about what those fools we elect are actually doing - That is if they actually cover it at all. We rarely here about most of it. We always find out the hard way - later, after it's already a done deal. Hell those fools in congress no longer find it necessary to even read the bills anyhow before they vote on them. Even they don't know what laws THEY have passed.

Will Rogers once quipped: "If CON is the opposite of PRO, does this mean that CONgress is the opposite of PROgress?

He way understated it!

My thought: DRIP on 'em - Don't Return Incumbent Politicians! But it's probably too late already - We're Done!