The Oregon Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday that the Oregon Department of State Lands (DSL) improperly issued a wetlands fill permit to Walmart for a proposed superstore in The Dalles. In issuing the fill permit, DSL said it was “inconclusive” whether the project would meet a public need that outweighed damage to wetlands. The Appeals court said the agency is required to find that a project meets a public need, and therefore the permit was wrongly issued. The matter was reversed and remanded back to the DSL. A fuller story on the ruling will appear later today.