Stupak-Thrall v. United States
United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
70 F.3d 881 (1995)
- Written by Oni Harton, JD
Facts
The United States Forest Service (Forest Service) (defendant) imposed surface-use regulations on Crooked Lake in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Most of Crooked Lake’s shoreline is within a federally protected wilderness area, Sylvania Wilderness Area. Stupak-Thrall (Landowners) (plaintiff) owned a small piece of land abutting the lake. The Forest Service adopted what became known as Amendment No. 1, which among other things, prohibited the use of sailboats and houseboats on all portions of Crooked Lake within the Sylvania Wilderness. The Landowners filed a lawsuit challenging the prohibitions. The Landowners argued they had the right to use Crooked Lake’s surface waters in any way they wanted, consistent with their riparian rights. They specifically argued that the Forest Service’s actions taken under the authority of the federal Wilderness Act are invalid because the Wilderness Act requires the protection of valid existing rights. In this case, the Homeowners argued that the restrictions issued under the authority of the federal Wilderness Act cannot stand because the Wilderness Act requires protection of valid existing rights.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Moore, J.)
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