# U ni te d S ta te s Co ur t of A pp ea ls

For the Eig hth Circu it

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ _

No. 1 4- 38 87

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ _

Arle n F os te r; C in dy Fos te r

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Pla in ti

ff s - Ap pe ll an ts

v.

Tom Vil sa ck , Secre ta ry , Uni te d S ta te s Dep art m en t o f Agr ic ul tu re

ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll ll l Defe nd

an t - Ap pe ll ee

__ __ __ __ __ __

App eal fro m

Uni te d S ta te s Di st ric t Co ur t

fo r th e Dis tri ct of S ou th Dako ta - Sio ux Fal ls

__ __ __ __ __ __

Su bm it te d: Nov em

be r 18 , 20 15

Fil ed : Ap ril 11 , 20 16

__ __ __ __ __ __

Befo re SM ITH, BYE, and BENTON, Circu it Ju dg es

.

__ __ __ __ __ __

BYE, Cir cu it Ju dg e.

Arle n an d Ci nd y Fo st er br ou gh t th is act i o n t o ch al le ng e th e Uni te d St at es

Dep art m en t of Agr ic ul tu re's (USDA's) de te rm in at io n th at a po rti on of th e F o st ers '

farm la nd is a wetl an d wit hi n th e m ean in g of th e pe rti ne nt fed eral st a t u t es an dreg ul at io ns

. The di st ric t co ur t gr an te d su m mar y jud gm en t in fav or of th e USDA 1

aft er co nc lu di ng th e ag en cy 's fin al de ci si on was no t arb it rary, cap ric io us

, or co nt rary

to th e la w. W e aff

irm.

I

A r le n an d Ci nd y Fo st er own an d farm la nd in Mi ne r Co un ty, So ut h D a k o t a

.

Mi ne r Co un ty is l o c a t e d w i t hi n wha t is ge ne ral ly refe rred to as th e Prai rie Po th ol e

Reg io n co ve rin g so m e of So ut h Dak ot a, Nor th Dak ot a, Mi nn es ot a, an d pa rts of th ree

Can ad ia n pr ov in ces

. The USDA us es it s own no m en cl at ur e to de sc rib e va rio us la nd

area s wit hi n th e Uni te d St at es ; un de r th at no m en cl at ur e l a r g er Lan d Res ou rce

Reg io ns ( LR Rs ) are su bd iv id ed in to Majo r Lan d Res ou rce Areas (MLRAs ). The

Fo s t e rs ' farm is lo cat ed wit hi n LRR F, or th e Nor th ern Great Pl ai ns Sp rin g W he at

Reg io n, an d m or e sp eci fic al ly wit hi n an MLRA cal le d th e So ut he rn Bl ack Glac ia te d

Pl ai ns

. Fo r pu rp os es of th is ap pe al

, th e MLRA whe re th e Fo st ers ' farm is lo cat ed is

rel ev an t fo r de te rm in in g th e types of so il s fo un d wit hi n th e MLRA, whi ch in tu rn is

rel ev an t fo r de te rm in in g wha t types of ve ge ta ti on wou ld ex is t whe n a pa rti cu la r so il

is in i t s n a tu ral st at e, in cl ud in g ve ge ta ti on whi ch wou ld na tu ral ly be fo un d in a

wetl an d.

In 19 85

, Co ng res s pa ss ed th e Fo od Secu r i t y A c t of 19 85 whi ch co nt ai ns

"Swa m pb us te r pr ov is io ns au t ho riz [in g] th e USDA to m ak e de te rm in at io ns as to

whe th er cert ai n la nd s qu al ify as wetl an ds an d whe th er wetl an ds th at ha ve be en

m an ip ul at ed qu al ify as co nv ert ed wetl an ds ." Cl ark v. Uni te d St at es Dep t. of Agr ic

.,

53 7 F.3 d 93 4, 93 5 (8 th Ci r. 20 08 ). Swam pb us te r was pa ss ed "[i ]n o rd er to co m ba t

th e di sa pp eara nc e of wetl an ds th ro ug h th ei r co nv ers io n in to cro p la nd s[ .] " Gun n v.

Uni te d St at es Dep 't of Agr ic

. , 1 1 8 F

. 3 d 12 33

, 12 35 (8 th Ci r. 19 95 ). Si gn ifi can tl y

,

The Hon or ab le Karen E. Sch rei er, Uni te d St at es Dis tri ct Ju dg e fo r th e Dis tri ct 1

of So ut h Dak ot a.

-2

-"a pe rs on de te rm in ed to ha ve co nv ert ed wetl an ds m ay be co m e in el ig ib le to rece iv e

farm pro gr am pa y m en ts " fro m

th e fed eral go ve rn m en t. Cl ark , 53 7 F .3d at 9 35

.

T his ap pe al co ncern s a wetl an d de te rm in at io n m ad e by th e USDA affe ct in g just

un de r an acre (0 .8 acre s) of th e Fo st ers ' farm

, a pr ai rie po th ol e whi ch th e pa rti es cal l 2

Si te 1. On Ju ne 3, 20 02

, Arle n Fo st er in it ia ll y so ug ht a wetl an ds de te rm in at io n fro m

th e Natu ral Res ou rce Co ns erv at io n Serv ic e (NRCS ), an ag en cy wit hi n th e USDA, fo r

a la rg er tra ct of la nd whi ch in cl ud ed Si te 1. Afte r a nu m be r of in te rmi tt en t ag en cy

pr oc eed in gs no t rel ev an t to th is ap pe al

, th e NRCS ul ti m at el y cert ifi ed Si te 1 as a

wetl an d on Ju ne 23

, 20 11

. The Fo st ers ap pe al ed th e Ju ne 20 11 de te rm in at io n to th e

USDA Nati on al App eal s Div is io n (NAD), a s e p a r at e ag en cy wit hi n th e USDA

es ta bl is he d to ad dr es s cert ai n cl ai m s an d di sp ut es

, in cl ud in g wetl an d de te rm in at io ns

.

In th e fir st st ep of th e NAD ap pe al

, th e Fo st ers bo re th e bu rd en of pr ov in g th e

NRCS's de te rm in at io n "was erro ne ou s by a pr ep on de ran ce of th e ev id en ce." 7 C.F.R.

§ 11 .8(e ). Bo th th e Fo st ers an d th e NRCS were pe rm it te d to pr es en t ev id en ce an d

co nd uc t cro ss -ex am in at io n at a he ari ng he ld in Octo be r 20 11

. On Ja nu ary 10

, 20 12

,

th e NAD he ari ng of

fic er is su ed a de ta il ed fo ur te en -p ag e d eci si on de te rm in in g th e

NRCS fo ll owe d th e pr op er pr oc ed ur es an d ha d a p p r o p ria te ly fo un d th at Si te 1 was

a wetl an d, an d th at th e Fo st ers ha d n o t met th ei r bu rd en of pr ov in g th e NRCS's

de te rm in at io n was erro ne ou s. Ap pe ll an t's App . at 4 -1 7.

In th e se co nd st ep of th e NAD ap pe al

, th e Fo st ers so ug ht rev ie w of th e he ari ng

of fic er's de ci si on by th e NAD di rect or 's offi ce pu rs ua nt to 7 C.F.R. § 11 .9. On Ju ly

16

, 20 12

, th e NAD di rect or 's of fic e is su ed a de ci si on up ho ld in g th e he ari ng of fic er's

A pr ai rie po th ol e is si m

pl y a sm al l, sh al lo w de pr es si on fo un d i n g l a c i at ed 2

po rti on s o f th e Uni te d S ta te s wh ic h fr eq ue nt ly has st an di ng wate r fo r pa rts or all of

a g ro win g s eas on in y ears wher e th e p reci pi ta ti on is no rm al or a bo ve av erag e.

-3

-de ci si on

, whi ch in rel ev an t pa rt he ld th e NRCS p r o v ed th e pr es en ce of th e th ree

co nt ro ll in g c rit eri a fo r a wet la nd de te rm in at io n b y sh owi ng th at Sit e 1 :

(a) h a d a pr ed om in an ce of hydri c so il s, (b ) was in un da te d or sa tu rat ed

by su rfac e or gr ou nd wate r at a freq ue nc y an d du ra t i o n s u ffi ci en t to

su pp or t a pr ev al en ce of hydro ph y ti c ve ge ta ti on typic al ly ad ap te d fo r li fe

in sa tu rat ed so il co nd it io ns

, an d (c) un de r no rm al ci rcu m st an ces wou ld

su pp or t a p rev al en ce o f hydro ph y ti c v eg et at io n.

App el la nt 's App

. at 33 ; se e al so 16 U.S.C. § 38 01 (a)( 27 ); 7 C.F.R. § 12 .2 (s et ti ng

fo rth th e th ree crit eri a us ed to de te rm in e whe th er a sp eci fic area of la nd qu al ifi es as

a wetl an d un de r fed eral la w). Th e N A D d ire ct or 's of fic e al so he ld th e Fo st ers "d id

no t pr ov e by a pr ep on de ran ce of th e ev id en ce th at th e [ N R C S ] d e ci si on was

erro ne ou s." App el la nt 's App

. at 34

. The d e c i s io n fro m th e NAD di rect or 's of fic e

co ns ti tu te d t he USDA's fi na l ag en cy de ci si on on th e m at te r.

I n M a y 2 0 1 3, th e Fo st ers fil ed a co m pl ai nt in fed eral di st ric t co ur t se ek in g

jud ic ia l revi ew of th e USDA's fin al ag en cy de ci si on

. Bo th pa rti es fil ed m ot io ns fo r

su m m ary jud gm en t. I n th e su m m ary jud gm en t pr oc eed in gs

, th e Fo st ers di d no t

di sp ut e th at Si te 1 co nt ai ns a pr ed om in an ce of hydri c so il s (th e fir st of th e th ree 3

rel ev an t cri te ria ), bu t ch al le ng ed th e fin al ag en cy de ci si on wit h reg ard to whe th er Si te

1 ha d th e req ui si te hydro lo gy to qu al ify as a wetl an d an d whe th er it s so il wou ld 4

A hydri c so il is a so il th at is "fo rm ed un de r co nd it io ns of sa tu rat io n, flo od in g, 3

or po nd in g lo ng en ou gh du rin g th e gr owi ng se as on to de ve lo p an aero bi c co nd it io ns

in th e up pe r pa rt. Thi s de fin it io n in cl ud es so il s th at de ve lo pe d un d e r an aero bi c

co nd it i o n s i n t h e up pe r pa rt bu t no lo ng er ex pe rie nc e th es e co nd it io ns du e to

hydro lo gi c al te rat io n su ch as th os e hydri c so il s th at ha ve be en art ifi ci al ly dr ai ne d or

pr ot ect ed (e.g

., di tc he s or le ve es )." Ch an ge s in Hy dr ic So il s Data ba se Se l e c t i o n

Cri te ria , 77 Fed . Reg . 12 23 4- 01 , 12 23 4- 35 (Feb . 29 , 20 12 ).

Hy dr ol og y refe rs to th e de gr ee of flo o di ng or so il sa tu rat io n pr es en t on th e 4

la nd

.

-4

-su pp or t a pr ev al en ce of hydro ph y ti c ve ge ta ti on un de r no rm al ci rcu m st an ces (th e la st 5

two of t he th ree r el ev an t cr it eri a).

The di st ric t co ur t gran te d USDA's m ot io n for su m m ary jud gm en t an d d en ie d

th e Fo st ers ' m ot io n fo r su m m ary jud gm en t. The di st ric t co ur t co nc lu de d th e NAD's

fact ua l fin di ng s were su pp or te d b y s u b s ta nt ia l (at ti m es

, un co nt ro ve rte d) ev id en ce

an d th e reco r d s u p po rte d th e NAD's le ga l co nc lu si on s. The di st ric t co ur t th eref or e

de te rm in ed t h e Fo st ers ha d fai le d to sh ow th e USDA's fin al ag en cy de ci si on was

arb it rary, capri ci ou s, o r co nt rary to t he law. Th is ti m el y ap pe al fol lo wed

.

II

W e r e v i e w th e di st ric t co ur t's gr an t of su m m ary jud gm en t de no vo

. Dou d v.

Toy Box Dev. Co ., 79 8 F .3d 70 9, 7 12 (8t h C ir. 2 01 5) . The iss ue be fo re t he di st ric t

co ur t was wh e t he r th e USDA's fin al ag en cy de ci si on was pr op er un de r th e

Adm in is tra ti ve Pro ced ur es A c t ( APA), 5 U.S.C. § 70 6. Und er th e APA, jud ic ia l

rev ie w of an ag en cy de ci si on is li m it ed to de te rm in in g whet he r th e ag en cy act io n is

"ar bi tra ry

, cap ric io us

, [] an ab us e of di sc ret io n, or ot he rwis e no t in acco rd an ce wit h

la w." Id

. § 70 6( 2) (A). If the ag en cy 's de ci si on is su pp or ta bl e on an y rat io na l ba si s,

th e co ur t m

us t up ho ld it . Voy ag eu rs Nat'l Park Ass 'n v . Nort on , 38 1 F .3d 75 9, 76 3

(8 th Cir . 20 04 ).

A

The Fo st ers fir st co nt en d t h e U S D A erre d in de te rm in in g Si te 1 ha d th e

req ui si te hydro lo gy to qu al ify as a wetl an d. Mo re sp eci fic al ly, th e Fo st ers ch al le ng e

H yd r o p hytic ve ge ta ti on m ean s "a pl an t gr owi ng in

. . . wate r

. . . or

. . . a 5

su bs tra te th at is at le as t pe rio di cal ly de fic ie nt in ox y ge n du rin g a gr owi ng se as on as

a res ul t of ex ces si ve wate r co nt en t." 16 U.S.C. § 38 01 (a)( 13 ); se e al so 7 C.F.R.

§ 1 2.3 1( b) . Exam

pl es of h y dr op hytic ve ge ta ti on are ca tt ai ls an d ru sh es

.

-5

-th e m et ho do lo gy th e NRCS us ed to de te rm in e th e pr es en ce of wetl an d hydro lo gy at

Si te 1's po th ol e. In th is cas e, th e m et ho do lo gy us ed by th e NRCS in cl ud ed vi ewin g

aeri al ph ot og rap hs of th e po th ol e whe n it was un de r no rm al en vi ro nm e nt al

co nd it io ns

. The NRCS ch os e to vi ew aeri al ph ot og rap hs be cau se Si te 1 was dr ie r

th an it wou ld ha ve be en un de r no rm al co nd it io ns at t he ti m e o f th e ag en cy 's o n- si te

vi si t i n N o v e mb e r 2 01 0, an d th e Fo st ers ha d ti ll ed th e po th ol e so it was no t in it s

na tu ral co nd it io n.

Alt ho ug h th e Fo st ers ge ne ral ly ack no wled ge th e le g i t im acy of us in g aeri al

ph ot og rap hs to de te rm in e wh e t h e r a s i te ha s th e req ui si te hydro lo gy t o qu al ify as a

wetl an d, th ey co nt en d th e NRCS im pr op erl y rel ie d up on "co lo r to ne " di ffer en ces in

th e aeri al ph ot og rap hs as an au th or iz ed "s ig na tu re" of a wetl an d. The Fo st ers arg ue

th at rel y in g on co lo r to ne di ffer en ces as a si g n a t u r e of hydro lo gy is co nt rary to th e

pr es cri be d m et ho do lo gy use d t o m ak e a wet la nd de te rm in at io n.

The pa rti es ag ree th ere are te n reco gn iz ed si gn at ur es th e NRCS m ay rel y up on

whe n us in g aeri al ph ot og rap hs to de te rm in e a si te 's hydro lo gy, whi ch are se t fo rth in

th e So ut h Dak ot a Map pi ng Co nv en ti on s. The te n wetl an d (o r wetn es s) si gn at ur es are

li st ed on a fo rm

lab el ed SD-LTP-3 3 (Fo rm 33 ) an d a re as fol lo ws: (1) hydro ph y ti c

ve ge ta ti on ; (2 ) su rfac e wate r; (3 ) sa tu rat ed co nd i t i o n s ; (4 ) st res se d cro ps du e to

wetn es s; (5 ) di ffer en ces in ve ge ta ti on du e to di ffer en t pl an ti ng da te s; (7 ) in cl us io n of

wet area s as se t-a si de or id le d; (8 ) ci rcu la r or irr eg ul a r a r e a s of un ha rv es te d cro ps

wit hi n a ha rv es te d fie ld ; (9 ) is ol at ed area s th at are no t f a r med w i th th e res t of th e

f i e l d; an d (1 0) area s of gr een er ve ge ta ti on (es pe ci al ly du rin g dr y y ears ). A d mi n

.

Rec or d at 45 1. The pa rti es al so ag ree th at if an y of th es e si gn at ur es ap pe ar in ov er

ha lf of t h e n o r mal rai nf

al l y ear ph ot og rap hs

, th e pr es en ce of wetl an d hydro lo gy is

es ta bl is he d.

In th is cas e, Mi ch el le Bu rk e, an ag ric ul tu ral en gi ne er em pl oyed by th e NRCS,

te st ifi ed at th e Octo be r 20 11 he ari ng th at sh e id en ti fie d so m e of th es e si gn at ur es at

-6

-th e si te of th e po th ol e in se ve n ou t of te n y ears in whi ch th e area ha d no rm al rai nf al l.

The Fo st ers di d no t cro ss -ex am in e Bu rk e on th is te st im on y

. In st ead

, th e Fo st ers rel y

up on a fo rm Bu rk e co m

pl et ed to do cu m en t th e pr es en ce of wetl an ds cal le d Fo rm 28

.

I n s t e a d of us in g th e te n au th or iz ed si gn at ur es id en ti fie d in Fo rm 33

, Fo rm 28 li s t s

fo ur sh or th an d ab br ev ia ti on s fo r th os e te n si gn at ur es

, on e of whi ch is "CT" fo r "co lo r

to ne " di ffer en ces

. W he n fil li ng ou t Fo rm 28

, Bu rk e us ed th is ab br ev ia te d sh or th an d

to do cu m en t t h e s i g n a tu res sh e id en ti fie d on th e aeri al ph ot og rap hs of th e Fo st ers '

po th ol e.

The Fo st ers co nt en d th at ch eck in g CT on Fo rm 28 a mo u n ts to an im pr op er

c on si de rat io n of "co lo r to ne " to id en ti fy a wetl an d, ev en th ou gh "co lo r to ne " is n o t

an au th or iz ed wetl an d si gn at ur e. As th e di st ric t co ur t no te d, ho wev er, CT is no th in g

m or e th an an ab br ev ia ti on us ed on on e of th e ag en cy 's fo rm s. Bu rk e's un ch al le ng ed

te st im on y es ta bl is he d th at sh e act ua ll y id en ti fie d so m e of th e te n a u t h o r i z e d

si gn at ur es at Si te 1 in th e req ui si te nu m be r of no rma l rai nf

al l y ears

. Sh e di d no t

te st ify th at sh e m erel y sa w ch an ge s in "co lo r to ne " in th e aeri al ph ot og rap hs

. Bu rk e's

te st im on y was th eref

or e su ff i c i e n t to su pp or t th e ag en cy 's fin al de ci si on

, an d th e

Fo st ers ' co nt en ti on is m erel y an at ta ck up on an al le ge d de fic ie nc y in an ag en cy fo rm

.

B

The Fo st ers ne xt co nt en d th e USDA im pr op erl y de te rm in ed th at Si te 1 wou ld

su pp or t a pre va le nc e of hydro ph y ti c ve ge ta ti on un de r no rm al cir cu m st an ces . Mor e

sp eci fic al ly, th e Fo st ers cla im th e USDA im

pr op erl y us ed a co m

pa ris on si te to o fa r

away fro m th ei r farm to m ak e it s de te rm in at io n, th at is

, th e ag en cy 's co m pa ris on si te

was ou ts id e th e "l oc al area " req ui red by the go ve rn in g re gu la ti on

.

W he n "t he ve ge ta ti on on [a di sp ut ed si te ] ha s be en al te red or rem ov ed ," as was

th e cas e he re be cau se th e Fo st ers ha d ti ll ed th e po th ol e lo cat ed at Si te 1, th e pe rti ne nt

fed eral reg ul at io n au th or iz es th e NRCS to "d et erm in e if a pr ev al en ce of hydro ph y ti c

-7

-ve ge ta ti on ex is ts in th e lo ca l ar ea on th e sa m e hydri c so il m ap un it un de r no n- al te red

hydro lo gi c co nd it io ns ." 7 C.F.R. § 12 .31 (b )(2 )(i i) (em ph as is ad de d)

. In ot he r wor ds

,

whe n a di sp ut ed si te is no t in it s na tu ral ve ge ta ti v e s t a t e

, th e NRCS m us t us e a

co m pa ris on si te in th e lo cal area whi ch co nt ai ns th e sa m e so il type as th e di sp ut ed si te

to de te rm in e wha t ve ge ta ti o n wou ld typic al ly be fo un d if th e di sp ut ed si te ha d no t

be en alt ered

.

In th is cas e, th e NRCS ve rif ie d th at Si te 1 was lo cat ed in a Teto nk a hydri c so il

m ap un it (o ne of ap pr ox im at el y twen ty so il se rie s id en ti fie d by th e USDA wit hi n th e

So ut he rn Bl ack Glac ia te d Pl ai ns MLRA), an d th e Fo s t e rs do no t di sp ut e th at fact

.

The NRCS ne xt ch os e an un al te red co m pa ris on si te wit hi n th e sa m e Teto nk a hydri c

so il m ap un it

, a si te lo cat ed ab ou t fo rty m il es away fro m Si te 1 in Kin gs bu ry Co un ty,

So ut h Dak ot a. The NRCS ch os e th e Kin gs bu ry Co un ty s i t e fo r a nu m be r of ot he r

reas on s, su ch as it s i nc lu si on on an ap pr ov ed li st of si te s est ab li sh ed as co m pa ris on

si te s du e to th ei r un di st ur be d na tu re, an d th e fact th at it was a pr ai rie po th ol e si m il ar

to Si te 1. In ch oo si ng th e Kin gs bu ry Co un ty si te

, th e NRCS co ns id ered bu t reject ed

two cl os er al te rn at iv e si te s pr op os ed by th e Fo st ers on th ei r own farm la nd (d es cri be d

as two gr as se d pa st ur e/ ha y la nd fie ld s th at ha d rece nt ly be en cro pp ed

, ha y ed

, gr azed

an d/ or sp rayed) ne it he r of whi ch were ev er es ta bl is he d by th e Fo st ers as m eet in g th e

req ui red reg ul at or y cri te ria (i.e ., l oc at ed on th e sa m e h y dr ic so il m ap un it as Si te 1,

or un di st ur be d a nd th us un de r no n- al te red hydro lo gi c co nd it io ns ).

Des pi te th ei r fai lu re to es ta bl is h th at th ei r al te rn at iv e si te s sa t i s f i e d th e

reg ul at or y cri te ria , t he Fo st ers co nt en d th e NRCS im pr op erl y c ho se it s co m

pa ris on

si t e b e cau se th ei r pr op os ed si te s were wit hi n th e "l oc al area " whi le th e Kin gs bu ry

Co un ty si te was no t. W e reject th is co nt en ti on

, whi ch is un su pp or te d by an y

au th or it y

. The un ch al le ng ed te st im on y of Kev in Lue bk e, an N R CS bi ol og is t who

te st ifi ed at th e Octo be r 20 11 he ari ng

, es ta bl is he d th at th e USDA in te rp ret ed th e "l oc al

area " ref eren ced in § 12 .31 to m ean th e sa m e MLRA as th e di sp ut ed si te

. Lik e Si te

1, th e Kin gs bu ry Co un ty co m pa ris o n si te is al so lo cat ed wit hi n th e So ut he rn Bl ack

-8

-Glac ia te d Pl ai ns MLRA, an d th u s m eet s th e reg ul at or y cri te ria un de r th e ag en cy 's

r e a s on ab le in te rp ret at io n, to whi ch we owe de fere nc e. See Fri en ds of Bo un da r y

W at ers W il de rn es s v. Dom be ck

, 16 4 F.3 d 11 15

, 11 28 (8 th C i r

. 19 99 ) (req ui rin g

de fere nc e "t o th e i n fo rm ed di sc ret io n of th e res po ns ib le fed eral ag en ci es " whe n an

an al y si s of th e rel ev an t i n fo rm at io n req ui res a hi gh le ve l of ex pe rti se ); se e al so

Down er v. Uni te d St at es

, 97 F.3 d 99 9, 10 03 -0 4 (8 th Ci r. 19 96 ), affi rm in g Down er v.

Uni te d St at es

, 89 4 F. Su pp

. 13 48

, 13 54

, 13 54 n.7 (D.S.D. 19 95 ) (u ph ol di ng th e

USDA's us e of a co m

pa ris on si te whi ch sa ti sf

ie d th e reg ul at or y cri te ria s e t fo rth in

§ 12 .31 de sp it e th e la nd own er's co m pl ai nt th at th e si te was to o far away (th irt y m il es )

to be co ns id ered ). W e th eref or e co nc lu de th e ag en cy 's us e of th e Kin gs bu ry Co un ty

si te as a co m

pa ris on si te was n ot arb it rary, capri ci ou s, o r co nt rary to t he law.

III

W e aff irm th e d is tri ct co ur t.

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