District of Columbia Federation of Civic Associations v. Adams

In District of Columbia Federation of Civic Associations v. Adams, a citizens' group opposed the construction of an interstate highway in northern Virginia designed to carry traffic into the District of Columbia on grounds that the Department of Transportation (DOT) had not complied with various environmental laws, including the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and the regulations of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation implementing Section 106 of NHPA.

DOT had ascertained that the project would have no effect on historic resources in the District of Columbia but had not identified any District of Columbia historic properties. Instead, DOT chose to identify only properties in Virginia. Moreover, the agency had decided that even if there were historic properties in the District of Columbia which would be affected, the project would cause no adverse effect on those properties. DOT had furnished a copy of its environmental impact statement (EIS) prepared under the National Environmental Policy Act to the Council, however, and invited the Council's comments on the EIS.

The court concluded that although DOT had not adhered to the Council's regulations, this failure did not justify injunctive relief. DOT had complied with NHPA by providing the Council with an opportunity to comment on the EIS.