A Flathead county judge has temporarily halted construction on a 159-foot dock on Flathead Lake. The decision was made in response to a lawsuit filed by Citizens For A Better Flathead alleging that Flathead County violated public participation and state environmental laws when it approved a variance for a lengthy dock at a new commercial marina. The court ruling stated that state law requires any variance to be pre-determined and that the county should have undergone an environmental impact statement. The lawsuit also alleged that the project raises concerns about the impact of construction on bull head trout and local fisheries. The judge's decision to halt construction on the dock is a misdemeanor and could result in a $500 fine or 30 days in Flathead jail.