Beuré-Co. v. United States

16 Cl. Ct. 42, 1988 U.S. Claims LEXIS 191, 1988 WL 129096
CourtUnited States Court of Claims
DecidedDecember 5, 1988
DocketNo. 129-86L
StatusPublished
Cited by15 cases

This text of 16 Cl. Ct. 42 (Beuré-Co. v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Court of Claims primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Beuré-Co. v. United States, 16 Cl. Ct. 42, 1988 U.S. Claims LEXIS 191, 1988 WL 129096 (cc 1988).

Opinion

OPINION

ANDEWELT, Judge.

This is a regulatory takings action. Plaintiff Beuré-Co.’s claim that its property was “taken” in violation of the fifth amendment is based on the Army Corps of Engineers’ (Corps) denial of permits that would authorize plaintiff to add fill to and to construct a mini-warehouse on a tract of land owned by plaintiff in Eagan, Minnesota. The case is presently before the court on defendant’s motion under RUSCC 12(b)(1) and 12(b)(4) to dismiss the complaint on the ground that plaintiff’s takings claim is not ripe for judicial review. For the reasons set forth herein, defendant’s motion is denied.

Facts1

A. The Preparation of Plaintiff’s First Permit Application

In 1970, plaintiff purchased for $30,000 approximately 25 acres of undeveloped wetland in the suburban community of Eagan, Minnesota. Shortly thereafter, plaintiff succeeded in having the site rezoned from “agricultural” to “light industrial” under the City of Eagan’s Comprehensive Guide Plan. In 1977, the State of Minnesota condemned 11.66 acres of the site for nature trails, expansion of a state highway, and construction of a new bridge. The state paid plaintiff $67,000 in compensation. The remaining 13.01 acres (the 13-acre tract) are the subject of this suit.

The 13-acre tract is bisected by a spring-fed stream, Hamack Creek, which flows northerly into the Minnesota River — 9.75 acres of the tract lie to the east of Hamack creek, and 3.26 acres lie to the west. Portions of the 13-acre tract are classified as “calcareous fen,” a rare type of wetland that, because of its unusual chemical char[43]*43acteristics, is conducive to the growth of certain rare species of plants.2

In September 1984, plaintiff entered into a purchase agreement for the sale of six acres of the 13-acre tract to Cedar Space Center, Inc. (Cedar) for $240,000. Cedar intended to construct a mini-warehouse storage facility on the land. Because the land was a wetland, Beuré-Co. would have to add fill to the land before construction could commence. Consistent with the purchase agreement, plaintiff sought local and state approval to add fill to the six-acre “Cedar site.” In addition, plaintiff sought approval to fill the remaining seven acres of the 13-acre tract, which would be used for an unspecified light industrial purpose.

Initially, plaintiff was under the impression that federal approval was not required for the proposed development of its land. On November 29,1984, however, the Corps notified plaintiff that a federal permit was required. The Corps took the position that the discharge of fill material onto the 13-acre tract required a permit from the Corps pursuant to Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (a Section 404 permit). See 33 U.S.C. § 1344.

The Corps initially did not specify whether plaintiff would require a “nationwide” or an “individual” permit from the Corps.3 Plaintiff concluded that if it limited the proposed development to less than ten acres, it would require only a nationwide permit and would not have to undergo the more comprehensive review involved in securing an individual permit. See 33 C.F.R. § 330.5(a)(26). The Corps ultimately decided, however, that because the proposed fill might jeopardize Harnack Creek, a state-protected trout stream, an individual permit was required.

As a result of the Corps’ actions, Cedar failed to fulfill the terms of the purchase agreement, and plaintiff was forced to cancel the agreement. Nevertheless, plaintiff decided to pursue the permit process with the State of Minnesota and the Corps. By the end of January 1985, plaintiff had secured approval for the proposed project from the Lower Minnesota River Watershed District and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MDNR).

B. Statutory and Regulatory Framework for Evaluating Section 404 Permit Applications

Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act, 33 U.S.C. § 403, prohibits the unauthorized deposit of fill material into any “navigable water of the United States.” See 33 C.F.R. § 320.2(b). Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. § 1344, authorizes the Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief of Engineers, to issue permits for the discharge of fill material into “waters of the United States,” which has been defined in Corps regulations to include wetlands adjacent to waters of the United States. 33 C.F.R. §§ 320.2(f) and 328.3(a)(7). The policies and procedures governing the Corps’ review of applications for such permits are set forth in 33 C.F.R. Parts 320, 323, and 325.

Pursuant to these regulations, the Corps evaluates permit applications under a public interest standard, which involves “an evaluation of the probable impacts, including cumulative impacts, of the proposed activity and its intended use on the public interest.” 33 C.F.R. § 320.4(a). In the evaluation analysis, the benefits which reasonably may be expected to accrue from a proposal are balanced against its reasonably foreseeable detriments. The standard that generally applies for evaluating permit applications is that “a permit will be granted unless the district engineer determines that it would be contrary to the public [44]*44interest.” Id. Thus, under this standard, a permit would be granted if the district engineer concludes that the benefits and detriments of the proposal were equal.

The controlling regulations, however, demonstrate particular concern and employ a somewhat more restrictive standard for evaluating permit applications that involve alteration of important wetlands. The regulations state that “[m]ost wetlands constitute a productive and valuable public resource, the unnecessary alteration or destruction of which should be discouraged as contrary to the public interest.” 33 C.F.R. § 320.4(b)(1). The regulations then proceed to identify the characteristics of those wetlands that should be “considered to perform functions important to the public interest.” 33 C.F.R. § 320.4(b)(2). For permit applications that involve the alteration of such important wetlands, the controlling standard is that “[n]o permit will be granted ... unless the [Corps] concludes ... that the benefits of the proposed alteration outweigh the damage to the wetlands resource.” 33 C.F.R. § 320.4(b)(4). Thus, under this standard, if the Corps concludes that the benefits of wetland development equal the detriments, the permit application must be denied.

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16 Cl. Ct. 42, 1988 U.S. Claims LEXIS 191, 1988 WL 129096, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/beure-co-v-united-states-cc-1988.