Titan should have to do the EIS - they were trying to argue that they didn't have to, as public funds hadn't been spent yet. But Judge Stephens' ruling was that public funds had been allocated - funds didn't have to be actually spent yet in order for the requirement to have environmental impact studies completed first before permits were issued.

I'm no fan of Judge Stephens, who was always very cozy with Easley & the rest of the corrupt Dems in Raleigh, but he made a fair ruling in this case.