A state Supreme Court judge has dismissed a petition by Adirondack environmental groups, who were against a snowmobile and recreational bridge over the Cedar River, connecting Indian Lake and Minerva.

In state Supreme Court in Warren County, Judge Robert Muller filed his decision on Dec. 13, which dismisses Adirondack Wild: Friends of the Forest Preserve and Protect the Adirondacks’ petition against the state Department of Environmental Conservation.

The environmental organizations sued the DEC at the beginning of the year, arguing that the bridge would traverse an area protected under the state’s Wild, Scenic and Recreational Rivers System Act.

Muller had largely delayed making a decision until the New York State Court of Appeals released its decision on a snowmobile connector trail from Indian Lake to Minerva, which the same environmental groups had challenged.

He did halt construction of the bridge while making his decision.

On Oct. 22, the Court of Appeals ruled in the DEC’s favor, allowing the connector trail.

This lifted Muller’s stay on DEC’s building of the bridge, according to his decision on Dec. 13.

Ultimately, Muller said, the DEC was permitted to build a bridge over the Cedar River and went through the necessary public comment and environmental impact assessments. He dismissed eight of the petitioners’ claims against the DEC and denied any relief.