Court Nixes Permit for Toms River Wal-Mart

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — A New Jersey appeals court has ruled against a proposed Wal-Mart in Ocean County in the latest chapter in a long-running legal battle.

The project was first proposed in 2004 for an area covering part of Toms River and part of Manchester Township. It drew opposition from environmentalists who said it would have adverse impacts on the environment and on a threatened species of snake.

After years of rejections and modifications to the original proposal, the state Environmental Protection Department issued a permit in 2012.

Tuesday's ruling by the three-judge appellate panel reversed the issuance of the permit and sent the matter back to the DEP for reconsideration.

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