Pur s uantt o Feder al R ul e of A ppel l at e Pr ocedur e 43( c) ( 2) , R es pondent * r eques t s t hatSam uel W . B odm an be s ubs t i tut ed forW i l l i am B . R i char ds on as t he appel l ee i n t hi s cas e. 

## F I LED United States C ourt of Appeals Tenth Circuit 

### M ay3,2007 Elisab eth A. Shumaker C l erk of C ourt PU BL I SH UNI TED S TATES CO URT O F AP PEALS

T E N T H C IR C U IT
CI TI ZENS FOR A LTERNA TI VES TO RA DI OA CTI VE D UM PI NG , BETTY RI CH AR DS , a n d BO B G AS T ON,

P l ai nti ffs-A pp el l ants , v. N o. 04- 2314 UNI T E D S T AT E S DE P AR T M E NT O F E N E R G Y , a n d S A MU E L W. B O D M A N , U ni t ed St at es Secr et aryof

* E n e r g y, D efen dan t s- A pp el l ees. AP P EA L F ROM THE UNI TE D S TA TE S DI S TR I CT COURT

F OR THE DI S TR I CT OF NE W M EX I CO ( D. C. NO . CI V- 9 9 - 3 2 1 - M CA/ ACT) John A . M cC al l , A l bu qu erque, N ew M exico on t he b ri efs, for Plai nti ffsA pp el l ants . J enni ferL . Schel l er , A t t or ney , E nvi r onm ent& N atur al R es our ces D i vi s i on, D epart m entof J us t i ce, W as hi ngt on, D . C . ( K el l yA . J ohns on, A ct i ng A s s i s t ant A t t or neyG ener al , and J ohn A . B ry s on, A t t orney , E nvi r onm ent& N atur al R esources D i vis i on , D epart m ent of Just i ce, W ashi ng t on , D . C . , D avid C . Igl esi as, U ni t ed St at es A t t or ney , and R aym ond H ami l t on, A s s i s t antU ni t ed St at es A t t or ney , O ffi ce of

t he U ni t ed St at es A t t orney , A l buquer que, N ew M exi co, and E l i zabe t h C . R os e, O f C ouns el , O ffi ce of t he C hi ef Counsel , U ni t ed St at es-2-

D epart m entof Ener gy , C ar l s bad Fi el d O ffi ce, C ar l s bad, N ew M exi co, w i th heron t he b ri ef), for D efen dan t s- A pp el l ees. B efo re M UR P HY , BROR BY , and TY M KOVI CH , C i rcui tJudg es. TY M KOVI CH , C i r cui tJ udge.

A ft ert hr ee e nvi r onm ent al i m pacts t at ement s s panni ng tw o deca des , t he D epart m entof Ener gy( D O E ) appr oved oper at i on i n 1998 of the W as t e I s ol at i on Pi l otPl ant( W I PP), a nucl earw as t e r epos i t oryl ocat ed i n s outheas t ern N ew M e x ico . C iti z e n s fo r A ltern a tiv e s to R a d io a c tiv e D u m p in g (C iti z e n s) s o u g h t to enj oi n t he fa ci l i t y ’ s oper at i on undert he N at i onal E nvi r onm ent al Pol i cyA ct ( N E PA ) . C i t i zens ar gued D O E r el i ed on fa ul tydat a r egar di ng the s ubs ur fac e g eo m o rph o log yo f th e sit e in its en v ir o n m en tal rev iew , there b yu n d err epr es ent i ng t he envi r onm ent al haza r ds of w as t e s t or age a tt he s i t e. T he di s tr i ct co u rtd en ied th e re q u ested injun cti o n , fin d ing D O E ’s ac ti o n s w ere n o t arbitrary a n d c a p ri c io u s . H avi ng j ur i s di ct i on pur s uantt o 28 U . S. C . § 1291, w e A FFIRM t he di s tr i ct cour t ’ s deci s i on. I . Backg r ound Th e Fa c ility a n dL o c a tio n . C ongr es s appr oved W I PP nearC ar l s bad, N ew M e x ico in 1 9 7 9 to p ro v id e “ a re se a rc h a n d d e v e lo p m e n t fa c ili tyto d e m o n stra teT he SE I S- I I ’ s admi ni s t r at i ve r ecor ds fi l l over30 boxes . A m ong the 1 i s s ues s tudi ed w er e s i t e geol ogyand hy dr ol ogy , w or kers afe ty , envi r onm ent al j us t i ce, and tr ans por t at i on. -3- t he s afe di s pos al of r adi oact i ve w as t e r es ul t i ng fr om . . . defe ns e ac t i vi t i es and p r o g r a ms . ” P u b . L . 9 6 - 1 6 4 , 9 3 S t a t . 1 2 5 9 ( 1 9 7 9 ) . On e y e a rl a t e r , i n 1 9 8 0 , DOE compl et ed i t s fi r s tenvi r onm ent al i m pacts t at ementforthe pr oj ectas r equi r ed by NE P A. I n 1 9 9 0 , a f

t e rt h e c o mp l e t i o n o f

mo s to f th e WI P P c o n s tru c t i o n , DOE p re p a re d a se c o n d su p p lem e n tal e n v iro n m e n tal im p a c t sta tem e n t b e fo re fa c ili ty te s tin g w o u ld b e g in . Fi nal l y , befor e the fa ci l i t yw oul d begi n acc ept i ng w as t e, D O E conduct ed a t hi r d i m pacts t at ement , t he D i s pos al Phas e Fi nal Suppl ement al E nvi r onm ent al Im p a c t S tate m e n t (S E IS -II). It p u b lish e d th e S E IS -II re c o rd o f d e c isio n in 1 J anuaryof 1998, concl udi ng di s pos al of r adi oact i ve w as t es atW I PP w as t he pr efe r r ed al t ernat i ve t o ot heropt i ons and author i zi ng di s pos al att he s i t e. 63 Fed. R eg. 3, 624 ( J an. 23, 1998) . I n conj unct i on w i th the SE I S- I I , C ongr es s or der ed t he Envi r onm ent al Pr ot ect i on A gencyt o conducta par al l el envi r onm ent al a s s e s s ment . The A ge nc y ’ s r e vi e w c on c l ud e d wi th a fi nd i ng i n 1 99 8 tha tW I PP w oul d compl yw i t h t he r adi oact i ve w as t e di s pos al r egul at i ons pr om ul gat ed byt he A g en cy . 6 3 F ed . R eg . 2 7 , 3 5 7 (M ay1 8 , 1 9 9 8 ). T he w as t e r epos i t or yfort he W I PP i s l ocat ed 2, 150 fee tunder gr ound, i n t he Sal ado For m at i on, a mass i ve s al tbed w i th l ow perm eabi l i tyt hati m pedes gr oundw at erfl ow i n and outof the W I PP re pos i t ory . A bout1, 400 fee tabove the-4-

W I PP i s a fr actur ed l ay erof dol om i t e r ock ca l l ed the C ul ebr a D ol om i t e. T he C ul ebr a i s t he fi r s tl ay erabove the Sal ado For m at i on w i th a cont i nuous bodyof gr oundw at er . A bove the C ul ebr a s i t s 86 fee tof cl ay s t one, m uds t one, and s ilts to n e s a n d w ic h e d b e tw e e n la y e rs o f a n h y d ri te c a lle d th e T a m a ri s k M e m b e r. A bove the Tam ar i s k M ember , anotherl ay erof dol om i t e, the M agent a D ol om i t e, runs fr om 621 t o 596 fee tbel ow the s ur fac e. T hes e form at i ons ar e arr ay ed as foll ow s: G eol og i c L ay er D ep th B el ow t he Surface i n F eet

Su r fac e t o For t y - N i n er 0 t o 538 For t y - N i n er 538 t o 596 M a g en ta D o l o m i te 596 t o 621 T ama r i s k 621 t o 707 C ulebra D o l o m i te 707 t o 729 Low erPar t of

Rus t l erFor mat i on 729 t o 844 U pperPar t of

Sa l ado For mat i on 844 t o 1, 343 M cNutt Pot as h 1, 343 t o 1, 727 Low erPar t of

Sa l ado For mat i on 1, 727 t o 2, 650 W IP P Sit e 2, 150 Sou r ce : Apl e. Su pp. App. a t 144 T he pos s i bi l i t yof r adi oact i ve mat er i al fr om t he W I PP esc api ng i nt o the lo c a l en v iro n m e n t v ia g ro u n d w a ter w a s a risk fa c to r c o n sid e re d b yth e D O E in S E IS -II. In m o d e lin g th e risk , the D O E c h o se to in v e stig a te th e C u leb ra D o lo m ite in d etail , b u t no t th e M ag en ta, b ec au se p ri o r stu d ies i n clud ed in the S E IS -II r ecor d l ed D O E t o concl ude the C ul ebr a w as t he “mostt r ans m i s s i ve uni tatt heT r ans m i s s i vi t yi s t he r at e atw hi ch w at erpas s es t hr ough a uni tof 2 t hickness. Itcan b e m easured i n squ are feetper dayor equival ent uni t s. -5- W I PP s i t e. ” A pl e. Supp. A pp at157. T he age ncyarr i ved att hi s concl us i on

2 b a se d o n a re c o rd th a t es tab lish e d , “[ i]n m o st lo c a tio n s, th e h y d ra u lic conduct i vi t yof the M agent a i s one t o tw o or der s of m agni tude l es s t han thatof t he C ul ebr a. ” Id. a t 1 5 9 . M o re o v e r, th e ra d io -n u c lid e s s to re d a t W IP P w o u ld need t o m ake thei rw ayt hr ough both the C ul ebr a and the Tam ar i s k, w hi ch “func t i ons as a conf

i ni ng l ay er ” due t o i t s l ow perm eabi l i ty , befor e r eac hi ng t he M a g e n ta . Id. at15 8. F ai l ure t o m od el t he M agen t a i s the b asi s for C i t i zens’ a p p e a l. C itiz e n s ’ L a w s u it. C i t i zens fi r s tbr oughtcomm on l aw publ i c nui s ance c la im s in N e w M e x ic o s ta te c o u rt in 1 9 9 9 , s e e k in g to e njo in th e W IP P fa c ility. D O E r emoved t he ca s e t o fede r al court , w hi ch deni ed the r eques tforan i nj unct i on. C i t i zens s ubs equent l yamended thei rcompl ai ntt o as s er tan addi t i onal cl ai m t hatt he SE I S- I I i nadequa t el ycompl i ed w i th N E PA . C i t i zens had p re v io u slyp a rticip a ted in th e p u b lic c o m m e n t p h a se o f S E IS -II. A s p a rt o f

th e ir N E P A claim , C it izen s so u g h t t o inject ev iden ce o u tsi d e the ad m inistrati v e re co rd b a s e d o n re s e a rc h c o n d u c te d b ya n e x p e rt c o n s u lta n t. The e xtr a - r e c or d e vi de nc e a l l e ge dl yc a me t o l i gh ta ft e rt he r e c or d forSEI SII w a s c o m p lete d . C iti z e n s’ c o n su ltan t, D r. R ich a rd H a y e s P h ill ip s h a s a c tiv e ly stu d ied th e g e o m o rp h o lo g ya ro u n d th e W IP P site fo r tw e n tyy e a rs. In a n a ffid a v it-6-

pr epar ed fort hi s l i t i gat i on, he cl ai m s dur i ng thatt i m e t o have “ w i tnes s ed a p a tte rn o f

lie s a n d d e c e p tio n s d e s ig n e d to d is g u is e th e tru e h y d ro lo g yo f th e . . . s i t e. ” A pl t . A pp. at61. D r . Phi l l i ps s uppor t s thes e al l egat i ons forpurpos es of th is a p p e a l w ith tw o c h a rg e s: H e p o in ts to (1 ) a 1 9 8 3 stu d yo f th e M a g e n ta in c lu d e d in th e S E IS -II th a t re lies u p o n a m isc a lcu late d d a ta p o in t at a tes t w e ll ( H - 3) dr i l l ed nea rW I PP, t her ebyunder s t at i ng t he gr oundw at ertr ans m i s s i vi tyof t he form at i on; and ( 2) penci l ed edi t i ng m arks m ade t o i ncl ude the mi s cal cul at i on i n t he s tudy , fr om w hi ch Phi l l i ps arr i ves atthe conc l us i on of “da t a fa l s i fi cat i on. ” Id
. T he di s t r i ctcour tuphel d D O E ’ s r ecor d of dec i s i on. T he courtconcl uded (1 ) th e d e c isio n w a s n o t ar b itrar ya n d c a p ric io u s, a n d (2 ) th e re w a s n o re a so n to co n side r the p roffe red ex tr a-rec o rd m aterial s in it s rev iew . In p arti cu lar, the c o u rt c a re f u llyre v iew e d a n u m b e r o f c h a rg e s b yC iti z e n s th a t S E IS -II w a s in a d e q u a te i n the w ayi tanaly zed the faci l i t y ’s hy drol og y , geo l og y , and po ssi ble r el ease s cena r i os . T he court , w hi l e ac know l edgi ng the s ci ent i fi c deba t e s ur r oundi ng m anyof the i s s ues , ul t i m at el yfound s uppor ti n the admi ni s tr at i ve r ecor d fort he d e c is io n s m a d e b yD O E . O n appea l , C i t i zens has narr ow ed the i s s ues t o the fol l ow i ng: ( 1) t he di s t r i ctcour ts houl d have a dm i t t ed extr a- r ecor d evi dence r egar di ng al l egat i ons of t amper i ng w i t h and mi s cal cul at i on of dat a i nvol vi ng gr oundw at ers tudi es i n the M agent a form at i on; and ( 2) D O E w as arbi tr aryand capr i ci ous i n i t s eval uat i on ofC it izen s also co n tend s the d istri ct co u rtim p rop erlyg ran ted s u m m ary 3 jud g m en t on their N E P A ch all en g e. A lth o u g h C it izen s is co rrect th at su m m ary ju d g m e n t is in a p p ro p ri a te fo r j u d ic ia l r e v ie w o f N E P A c la im s , s ee O l enhous e v. C om m odi t

y C r edi tC or

p. , 42 F. 3d 1560, 1579–80 ( 10th C i r . 1994) , t he di s tr i ct c o u rt d id n o t g ra n t su m m a ryju d g m e n t. Itis c lea r f ro m th e c o u rt’s o rd e r th a t it r el i ed on the admi ni s t r at i ve r ecor d i n r eac hi ng i t s fi nal j udgm entpur s uantt o t he A d m inistrati v e P roc ed u res A ct. [M em . O p . an d O rde r at 55 . ] D O E ar gues t hatC i t i zens di d notpr es enti t s chal l enge dur i ng the open publ i c comm entper i od and i t s obj ect i ons s houl d ther efor e be for fei t ed. T he di s t r i ctcour tdi d notdi r ect l yaddr es s t hi s i s s ue and D O E di d notcr os s - appea l t he i s s ue. Si nce D O E ’ s act i ons w er e notarbi tr aryand capr i ci ous i n anyevent , w e do n o t ad d re ss D O E ’s fo rfe itu re a rg u m e n t. -7- t he r ecor d bynotfur t heri nves t i gat i ng the pr opert i es of the M agent a bas ed on the al l egati on s rai sed by D r. P hil l i ps. 3 I I . D i s cus s i on A
. Extr a- R ecord E vi dence J udi ci al r evi ew of age ncyact i on i s nor m al l yr es tr i ct ed t o the admi ni s tr at i ve re c o rd . Lee v. U. S. A i rFor ce , 3 5 4 F .3 d 1 2 2 9 , 1 2 4 2 (1 0 th C ir. 2 0 0 4 ). It is o n lyin “extr emel yl i m i t ed ci r cumst ance s , s uch as w her e the age ncyi gnor ed r el evant fac t or s i ts houl d have c ons i der ed orcons i der ed fa ct or s l eftoutof the form al re c o rd ” th a t w e w ill c o n s id e r e x tr a -r e c o rd e v id e n c e . Id. ( i nt ernal quot at i ons o m itte d ). W e m ayal so delve ou t si de the adm i nis trat i ve record w hen t here i s a “s t r ong s how i ng of bad fai t h ori m pr operbehavi or . ” C i t iz ens t o P r es er ve O ver t on P ark, Inc. v. Vol

pe , 401 U . S. 402, 420 ( 1971) . I n deal i ng w i th s ci ent i fi c and t echni cal evi dence , extr a- r ecor d evi dence “mayi l l um i nat e w hetheran-8-

[envi r onm ent al i m pacts t at ement ] has negl ect ed t o m ent i on a s er i ous e n v iro n m e n tal c o n se q u e n c e , fa iled a d e q u a telyto d isc u ss so m e re a so n a b le al t ernat i ve, orot herw i s e s w epts tubborn pr obl ems ors er i ous cr i t i ci s m . . . under t he rug. ” Lee , 3 5 4 F . 3 d a t1 2 4 2 ( i n t e rn a l q u o t a t i o n s o mi t t e d ) . We r e v i e w a di s t r i ctcour t ’ s det erm i nat i on of w hetherornott o excl ude extr a- r ecor d evi dence fo r a b u s e o f

d is c re tio n . Va lley C m ty. P re s. C o m m ’n v . Min e ta , 373 F. 3d 1078, 1089 n. 2 ( 10t h C i r . 2004) ( ci t i ng Nor thcoas tE nvt l
. C tr . v. G l i ckm an , 136 F. 3d 6 6 0 , 6 6 5 (9 th C ir . 1 9 9 8 )) . T o s uppor ti t s cl ai m t he admi ni s tr at i ve r ecor d s houl d be s uppl ement ed, C i t i zens cont ends w at erfl ow dat a fort he M agent a w as conce al ed and m i s r epr es ent ed. R el y i ng on t he al l egat i ons cont ai ned i n D r . Phi l l i ps ’ s 1999 aff i davi t , C i t i zens cl ai m s t he s tudi es bas ed on thi s m i s r epr es ent at i on l ed the governm entt o w r ongl yas s um e the C ul ebr a w as t he mostt r ans m i s s i ve geol ogi cal l ay eri n t he s t or age faci l i t y ’ s pr oxi m i ty . A s a r es ul t , D O E deci ded i tneed not m o d el th e tran sm issi v e p rop erti es o f th e M ag en ta l ay er. C it izen s arg u es th at D r. P h i l l i p s ’ s c h a r g e s s a t i s f yi t s o b l i g a t i o n t o ma k e “ a s tr o n g s h o wi n g t h a tDOE engage d i n bad fa i t h and i m pr operconduct , ” and ther efor e addi t i onal evi dence s h o u ld b e p ro d u c e d in th e a d m in is tr a tiv e re c o rd . A p lt. B ri e f a t 1 9 . W e d isa g re e . U p o n e x a m in in g D r. P h ill ip s’s a ffid a v it, w e fin d n o th in g to j us t i fyt he i ncl us i on of extr a- r ecor d evi dence t o demonstr at e gaps ori nadequa ci es in the S E IS -II .-9-

D r. P h illip s m a k e s tw o c la im s o f m is re p re s e n ta tio n . Fi r s t , he as s ert s he di s cover ed a doc um entas par tof hi s r es ear ch that e v id e n c e s ta m p e rin g w ith a h y d ro lo g yre p o rt re lied o n b yD O E . H e su p p o rts th is al l egat i on bypoi nt i ng t o handw r i t t en edi t i ng m arks ( he ca l l s them “al t er at i ons ”) o n a d ra f

t o f a 1 9 8 3 re p o rt w h ic h w a s e v e n tu a lly in c lu d e d in th e S E IS -I I. A ccor di ng t o D r . Phi l l i ps , t he handw r i t t en not at i ons demonstr at e the authorof the fi nal r eportal t er ed tr ans m i s s i vi t ydat a forthe M agent a dol om i t e dow nw ar d fr om a hi gh of 40- s quar e fe etperdayt o a hi gh of 1- s quar e footperday . T he sig n ifica n c e o f

th is d a ta, w h ich h e c laim s D O E re lied o n in d isp e n sin g w ith fu rth er m o d eli n g o f th e M ag en ta, is t o m ak e the M ag en ta ap p ea r m o re im p e rm e a b le th a n it r e a lly w a s . Second, he cl ai m s t he 1983 r eportr el i ed on thes e al t er ed ca l cul at i ons for one of the t es tw el l s dr i l l ed i nt o the M agent a, w el l num berH - 3, even though the c a lc u la tio n s a re in c o n s is te n t w ith th e ra w tr a n s m is s iv ity d a ta c o lle c te d in 1 9 7 8 . T he 1983 r epor tcal cul at ed a tr ans m i s s i vi tyatH - 3 of 0. 1- s quar e fe etperdayfor t he M agent a, butD r . Phi l l i ps cal cul at ed a r at e of 330- s quar e fe etperdayus i ng t he under l y i ng r aw dat a, w hi ch he a r gues i s fourt i m es m or e tr ans m i s s i ve than the hi ghes tr at e found a nyw her e i n t he C ul ebr a. D r . Phi l l i ps al l eges thi s di s cr epanc y atone w el l ( outof the fi ft een dr i l l ed i nt o the M agent a) demonstr at es the M agent a’ s t r ans m i s s i vi t ynum ber s w er e fa l s i fi ed, thus es t abl i s hi ng bad fa i th and im p ro p e r c o n d u c t o n th e p a rt o f th e D O E .-10-

T he di s t r i ctcour tdi s agr eed. I tconcl uded, i n r evi ew i ng t he age ncyr ecor d, t hat the h and w ri t t en alt erat i on s r esem ble pr oo freadi ng and peer r eview m arks: i ns uffi ci enti n t hemsel ves t o demonstr at e a s i ni s t erm ot i ve. A s t o the t r ans m i s s i vi t ycal cul at i ons , t he courtfound the r aw dat a had be en ava i l abl e for t w entyy ear s , w hi ch w as pl entyof t i m e forC i t i zens t o r evi ew i tand comm enton it fo r t h e a d m in is tr a tiv e re c o rd d u ri n g th e n o rm a l c o u rs e o f re v ie w . W e have car eful l yr evi ew ed the r ecor d and agr ee the extr a- r ecor d evi dence d o e s n o t w a rra n t in c lu sio n in th e a d m in istra tiv e re c o rd . A lth o u g h o u r re v iew is t hor ough, “des i gnat i on of the A dm i ni s tr at i ve R ecor d, l i ke anyes t abl i s hed a d m in is tr a tiv e p ro c e d u re , is e n title d to a p re s u m p tio n o f a d m in is tr a tiv e re g u la ri ty. T h e c o u rtassu m es th e a g en cyp rop erlyd esig n ated the A d m inistrati v e R ec o rd abs entcl earevi dence t o t he contr ary . ” B arM KR anches v. Yuet t er , 994 F. 2d 735, 740 ( 10t h C i r . 1993) ( ci t at i on om i t t ed) . C i t i zens has notover come t he p re su m p tio n o f

re g u lar ity , n o r m a d e a “ stro n g sh o w in g ” o f im p ro p e r b e h a v io r in devel opm entof the r ecor d. Fi r s tof al l , w e ar e notconvi nced thatedi t i ng m arks on a dr aftr eports how a n yth in g c o n c lu siv e . C iti z e n s h a s p o in ted to n o e v id e n c e th a t th e fin a l re p o rt d id notr epr es entt he author ’ s fi ndi ngs and ana l y s i s . I ti s har dl ys urpr i s i ng t hatthe s tudyw entt hr ough a numberof r ounds of edi t i ng; on thi s r ecor d, nothi ng can be i nferr ed fr om ei t her t he exi s t ence of the dr aft or of handw r i tt en edi t s . C i t i zensC iti z e n s a lso a rg u e s th a t D O E fa iled to re b u t it s a lleg a tio n s in its 4 br i efi ng. B utt he bur den w as noton D O E t o r ebutt he cha r ges , i tw as on C i t i zens to sh o w b a d fa ith o r im p ro p e r b e h a v io r. It d id n o t d o so . A n d e v e n if w e d id al l ow i n t he extr a- r ecor d evi dence , as w e expl ai n i n the nexts ect i on, t he dat a do no test abli sh t hat the D O E ’s decis i on w as arbitraryand capri ci ou s. -11- has m ade nothi ng m or e than a s pecul at i ve cl ai m uncorr obor at ed byevi dence of w r ongdoi ng. M or e i m por t ant l y , t he 1983 M agent a s tudydoes nots t and al one i n the admi ni s t r at i ve r ecor d. T he r ecor d of dec i s i on cont ai ns a numberof others tudi es r egar di ng t he M agent a, al l of w hi ch w er e cons i der ed bythe D O E ’ s deci s i onm aki ng pr oces s . C i t i zens fai l s t o demonstr at e the i ndepende nts i gni fi canc e of the 1983 r eportorhow i tdeci s i vel yunder cut s the ent i r e vol um e of da t a cons i der ed b yDO E. C onfus i on cent er i ng on one dat a poi ntfr om one w el l does notes t abl i s h bad fa ith . A s w e d isc u ss b e lo w , the a g e n c yh a d su fficie n t ev id e n c e to su p p o rt its deci s i on, and, not hi ng i n t he r ecor d even s ugges t s SE I S- I I r el i ed on the chal l enged da t a. C i t i zens has notcarr i ed i t s bur den t o demonstr at e the r ecor d of d e c is io n w a s fa ls ifie d o r a lte re d in b a d fa ith . W i t houtm or e, t he di s t r i ctcour tdi d notabus e i t s di s cr et i on i n r ej ect i ng C i t i zens ’ pr offe rof extr a- r ecor d evi dence i n i t s r evi ew of the age ncydeci s i on. 4 B . N EPA C ompl i ance

“ T h e ro le o f

th e c o u rts in re v iew in g c o m p lian c e w ith N E P A ‘is s im p lyto ens ur e thatt he age ncyhas adequa t el ycons i der ed and di s cl os ed the envi r onm ent al-12-

i m pactof i t s act i ons and thati t s deci s i on i s notarbi tr aryand ca pr i ci ous . ’ ” Utah Sh a r e dA c c e s s A llia n c e v . U.S . Fo r e s t S e r v ., 288 F. 3d 1205, 1208 ( 10th C i r . 2002) ( quot i ng B a lti m o re G a s & E lec . C o . v. Na tu ra l R e s. D e f. C o u n c il, 462 U . S. 87, 9 7

– 9 8 (1 9 8 3 )) . U nd er this st and ard, w e con si der w hether“t he [a gen cy ’s ] d ec isi o n w as b ase d o n a c o n side rati o n o f th e re leva n t fac tors an d w h ethe r th ere has been a cl earerr orof j udgm ent . ” O vert on P ark , 401 U . S. at416. “A n agenc y act i on i s arbi t r aryand ca pr i ci ous i f the age ncy. . . ent i r el yfai l ed t o cons i deran i m por t antas pectof the pr obl em, offe r ed an e xpl anat i on fori t s deci s i on thatruns c o u n ter to th e e v id e n c e b e fo re th e a g e n c y , o r [ if th e d e c isio n ] is s o im p lau sib le t hati tcoul d notbe as cr i bed t o a di ffe r ence i n vi ew ort he pr oductof age ncy expert i s e. ” Utah E nvi r onm entalC ongr es s v. R i chm ond , __ F . 3 d ___ (10 C ir . th 2007) ( i nt ernal quot at i ons om i t t ed) . O urr evi ew of a di s tr i ctcourtrul i ng on N E P A com pli ance is de novo . Uta h n s f o rB e t t e rTr a n s

p . v . U. S
. DOT, 305 F. 3d 1 1 5 2 , 1 1 6 1 (10 th C ir . 2 0 0 2 ). W hi l e N E PA advi s es caut i on byor der i ng r evi ew of the pot ent i al e n v iro n m e n tal c o n se q u e n c e s o f fe d e ra l ac tio n , ita lso re c o g n ize s th e flip -sid e to t hi s pr eca ut i onarypr i nci pl e: t hatadver s e cons equenc es , l os s es , and otherhaza r ds m ayr es ul tfr om fede r al i nact i on. “So l ong as t he r ecor d demonstr at es t hatt he a g e n c ies in q u e stio n fo llo w e d th e N E P A p ro c e d u re s, w h ich re q u ire a g e n c ies to t ake a ‘ har d l ook’ att he envi r onm ent al cons equenc es of the pr opos ed ac t i on, t he cour tw i l l nots econd- gues s t he w i s dom of the ul t i m at e dec i s i on. ” Id. at1163-13-

( ci t i ng R o b e rts o n v . Me th o w Va lley C itize n s C o u n c il , 4 9 0 U .S . 3 3 2 , 3 5 0 (1 9 8 9 )) . P erfect i on i s not r equ i red byt he N E P A process. “W e appl ya rul e of r eas on s t andar d ( es s ent i al l yan abus e of di s cr et i on sta n d a rd ) in d e c id in g w h e th e r c laim e d d e ficie n c ies in a [ fin a l] E IS a re m e re ly fl y s pecks , orar e s i gni fi cantenough t o defe att he goal s of i nform ed deci s i onm aki ng and i nform ed publ i c comm ent . ” Lee , 354 F. 3d at1237 ( ci t at i ons om i t t ed) . O urdefe r ence i s “es peci al l ys tr ong w her e the cha l l enged de ci s i on[] i nvol ve[s ] t echni cal ors ci ent i fi c mat t er s w i thi n the age ncy ’ s ar ea of expert i s e. ” Utah E nvir on m entalC on gress , _
__ F .3 d a t _

__ . A ppl y i ng t hes e pr i nci pl es , D O E ’ s appr oval deci s i on w as notarbi tr aryand capr i ci ous . D O E expl ai ned as par tof the admi ni s tr at i ve r evi ew t hati tchos e not t o m odel t he M agent a dol om i t e bec aus e the C ul ebr a w as t he “mostt r ans m i s s i ve uni tatt he W I PP si t e. ” A pl e. Supp. A pp at157. I tbas ed thi s concl us i on on v a ri o u s s tu d ie s th a t r e lie d o n d a ta g e n e ra te d f ro m te s t w e lls d ri lle d a t th e s ite . R e s e a r c h e r s d r i l l e d fi f t e e n w e l l s i n t o t h e M a g e n t a t o a n a l yz e i t s t r a n s m i s s i v i ty. [A ple. S up p. A pp . at15 9. ] Th ese w el l s generat ed d at a ov er a num ber of y ears , w h ich , as th e S E IS -II p o in ts o u t, i n d ica ted th e M a g e n ta’ s o v e ra ll tra n sm iss iv ity w a s lo w e r t h a n re c o rd e d a t H -3 a n d lo w e r t h a n c o m p a ra tiv e s p o ts in th e C u le b ra . C ont r aryt o C i t i zens ’ s al l egat i ons , t he SE I S- I I di d noti gnor e dat a r egar di ng t he M agent a l ay er . I n fac t , t he admi ni s tr at i ve r ecor d r eport ed tr ans m i s s i vi tyr at esT hi s fi gur e w as convert ed fr om fee tpers econd i n the SE I S- I I t o fee tper 5 dayfort hi s opi ni on. T he di s t r i ctcour tagr eed thatD r . Phi l l i ps ’ s extr a- r ecor d evi dence 6 d e m o n stra ted a t m o st “ a d isp u te a m o n g m e m b e rs o f th e sc ien tific c o m m u n ity c on c e r ni ng t he i nt e rpr e t a t i on of hy dr ol og i c a nd ge ol og i c da t a r e ga r di ng t he W I PP site .” M e m . O p . an d O rd e r a t 2 6 . C iti z e n s c o n ten d s th e tra n sm iss iv ity cal cul at i on fr om w el l H - 3 i s nota mat t erof opi ni on open t o di s put e, butr atheran (continued...) -14- in the M ag en ta as h igh as 3 7 2 -squ are fe et p er d ay , ev en ab o v e the 3 3 0 -squ are 5 fee tperdaycal cul at i ons t hatC i t i zens cl ai m s w er e l eftoutof the 1983 r eportand u ltim a te ly th e S E IS -I I. [ Id . at15 9. ] Th e S E IS-I I concl ud ed that“[i ]n m ost l ocat i ons ” the “the hy dr aul i c conduc t i vi tyof the M agent a i s one t o tw o or der s of m agni tude l es s t han thatof the C ul ebr a. ” Id . at159. A nd, i m por t ant l y , t he “M agent a does nothave hy dr aul i cal l ys i gni fi cantfr actur es i n the vi ci ni tyof W I PP. ” Id. A s t o t he t es tw el l dat a, fol l ow - up s tudi es conduct ed i n 1988 and 1989 col l ect ed new dat a on the M agent a’ s t r ans m i s s i vi tyatt es tw el l H - 3. T he new i nform at i on found tr ans m i s s i vi t yhi ghert han the 0. 1- s quar e fe etperdayof the 1 9 8 3 rep o rt , b u t st il l l ess th an 0 . 2 -squ are fe et pe r da y . [A p le. S u p p . A p p . at 19 8 . ] T hes e new s tudi es , w hi ch appe ar ed as partof the SE I S- I I r ecor d, [A pl e. Supp. A p p . at 1 6 6 ] c re a te, a t b e st, a d e b a te o v e r th e p ro p e r in terp re tatio n o f H -3 d a ta betw een the number s ci t ed byD r . Phi l l i ps and the fol l ow - up r eport s . I n s uch a d e b a t e , t h e a g e n c ywa s f r e e t o s i d e wi th t h e r e a s o n a b l e o p i n i o n s o f i t s o wn qu al i fi ed ex pert s. “W hen speci al i st s express confli ct i ng view s, an ag encym ust 6(...continued) 6 e m p irica l m a tter. T h e d istric t co u rt w a s n o t cla im in g th e 1 9 7 8 tra n sm iss iv ity re a d in g f

ro m w e ll H -3 w a s in d isp u te, h o w e v e r; it w a s s u g g e stin g a re a so n a b le di s put e exi s t ed r egar di ng t he o v e ra ll tr ans m i s s i vi tyof the C ul ebr a ver s us the o v e ra ll tr a n s m is s iv ity o f th e M a g e n ta in lig h t o f P h illip s ’s e v id e n c e . “The R us t l erFor m at i on i s t he mosts i gni fi canthy dr ogeol ogi c uni tabove 7 W I PP becaus e i tcont ai ns t he C ul ebr a D ol om i t e, t he fi r s tl at er al l ycont i nuous hy dr ol ogi c uni tabove the Sal ado For m at i on” w her e W I PP w oul d s t or e the r adi oact i ve w as t e. A pl e. Supp. A pp. at156. -15- h a v e d isc re tio n to re lyo n th e re a so n a b le o p in io n s o f its o w n q u a lifie d e x p e rts e v e n if, a s a n o ri g in a l m a tte r, a c o u rt m ig h t fin d c o n tr a ry v ie w s m o re p e rs u a s iv e .” Ma rs h v . O re g o n Na tu ra l R e s. C o u n c il , 490 U . S. 360, 378 ( 1989) . E ven i f the M agent a w as m or e tr ans m i s s i ve atw el l H - 3, s uffi ci enti nform at i on fr om the other fou rt een w el l s i n the r ecord sup po rtthe co nclusi on that the C ulebr a w as the m ost t r ans m i s s i ve l ay erover al l . D O E nei therfai l ed t o cons i derthe M agent a, norfai l ed to c o n s id e r d a ta c o u n te r t o th e e v id e n c e b e fo re it. F u rth e rm o re , tran sm iss iv ityw a s n o t th e o n lyfa c to r th e D O E re lied u p o n in m odel i ng t he C ul ebr a i ns t ead of otherl ay er s . T he D O E al s o focus ed on the C ul ebr a beca us e i t i s t he cl os er form at i on t o W I PP s t or age. R adi o- nucl i des 7
s t or ed atW I PP w oul d need t o m ake thei rw ayt hr ough both the C ul ebr a and the low p erm ea b il ityo f th e T am arisk b efo re rea ch ing the M ag en ta. If w aste w ere unl i kel yt o es cape t he C ul ebr a, i tw as even l es s l i kel yt o es cape t he over l y i ng M agent a. T he D O E bot h cons i der ed and di s cl os ed the envi r onm ent al i m pactof i t s mo d e l i n g d e c i s i o n , i n c o mp l i a n c e wi th NE P A.-16-

I n s um , D O E w as notarbi tr aryand ca pr i ci ous i n i t s r evi ew of the geol ogi cal dat a befor e i t . I tdi d noti gnor e the M agent a l ay eri n i t s eval uat i on, b u t r athe r pro v ided ca ref u l and rea so n ed ex p lana ti o n s fo r m o d eli n g the C u lebra a nd no tt he M a ge nt a . The i ’ s w e r e do t t e d, the t ’ s w e r e c r os s e d, a nd N EPA r equi r es not hi ng m or e. O n t hi s r ecor d, w e ca nnotdi s cern thatD O E m ade a “cl ear err ori n j udgm ent ” i n concl udi ng thati t s s i t e model i ng w as adequa t e. I I I . C oncl usi on Fort he above r eas ons , w e fi nd thatD O E w as notarbi tr aryand capr i ci ous in its e n v iro n m e n tal re v iew , an d th e d istric t co u rt d id n o t ab u se its d isc re tio n in rejecti n g the e x tr a-rec o rd e v iden ce . W e the refo re A F F IR M the d istri ct co u rt deci s i on.