Lithium Americas Corp. (NYSE: LAC) inches down in pre trading session on Wednesday as the firm received a favorable ruling from the United States District Court for the District of Nevada for the appeal filed against the Bureau of Land Management for the issuance of the Record of Decision relating to the Company’s 100%-owned Thacker Pass project in Humboldt Country, Nevada. The Federal Court has refused to vacate the mining Plan of Operations ROD.

The Federal Court’s favorable ruling confirms that the permitting process for Thacker Pass was thorough and responsible, and that construction can begin immediately. The Federal Court ordered the BLM to consider one mining law issue relating to the area designated for waste storage and tailings, but did not impose any restrictions that would have an impact on the construction timeline.

President and CEO Jonathan Evans expressed satisfaction that the Federal Court recognized the BLM’s decision to issue the Federal Permit. The favorable ruling provides the final regulatory approval needed to start construction on Thacker Pass.

The Federal Court rejected arguments that the Project will result in unnecessary and undue degradation of the local sage grouse population and habitat, groundwater aquifers, and air quality; that the BLM failed to adequately assess the Project’s impacts on air quality, wildlife, and groundwater; that the BLM failed to adequately consider the Project’s impacts on culturally or religiously significant areas; and that the BLM acted unreasonably or in bad faith in identifying tribes f

Based on an appellate decision issued after the BLM issued its ROD for Thacker Pass, the Federal Court remanded the BLM to determine whether the Company possesses adequate mining-claim rights to the lands over which the waste storage and tailings are expected to be located. The company plans to collaborate closely with the BLM to complete the necessary follow-up.