Sagebrush Rebellion, Inc. v. Watt

I dissent from the majority’s holding that fifteen separate parties must be allowed to intervene as of right in the district court’s consideration of all the issues in this lawsuit. I would affirm the district judge’s practical and even-handed resolution of a difficult situation.

To understand the district judge’s ruling, it is necessary to set out the facts in more detail than does the majority. The original underlying lawsuit was a challenge to the adequacy of an Environmental Impact Statement prepared by the Department of Interior in support of its recommendation of legislation to establish…