# U ni te d S ta te s Co ur t of A pp ea ls For the Eig hth Circu it

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No. 1 6- 19 52

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Oua ch it a Watch Leag ue ; Newt on Co un ty W il dl ife Ass oc ia ti on ; Sh awn Po rte r; G. Tho m as McKi nn ey ; Dav id Reag an ; Su sa n Gat el ey ; Ro be rt B . Lefla r; S arah May Lefl ar; Kim

be rly Iso n; Jo hn Iso n; Bil ly L in ds ey ; Ca ro l Li nd se y ; J am es Mi tc he ll ;

Ru th Mi tc he ll ; J oh n Lawre nc e Po ff

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

ff s

Ozark So ci et y

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

ff - App el la nt

v.

Uni te d S ta te s Fo res t Se rv ic e; Ju di th L. Henry, Fo res t Su pe rv is or , Ozark -St

. Fran ci s Nat io na l Fo res ts ; Dep art m en t o f Agr ic ul tu re; Depa rtment o f In te rio r, Bu reau of Lan d M an ag em en t; Depa rtment o f Defen se , Uni te d S ta te s Arm y Co rp s of Eng in eers , Litt le Ro ck Dis tri ct ; Un it ed Sta te s Dep art m en t o f th e Arm y ; Bu reau of Land Man ag em en t; Dr. Jo hn Ly on , in hi s o ffi ci al cap aci ty of Eas te rn Sta te s Dire ct or , Bur eau of Lan d M an ag em en t; Bru ce Daws on , in hi s o ffi ci al cap aci ty as

East ern Sta te s Fi el d M an ag er, Bu reau of Lan d M an ag em en t

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

an ts - App el le es

__ __ __ __ __ __ App eal fro m

Uni te d S ta te s Di st ric t Co ur t fo r th e Eas te rn Dis tri ct of Ark an sa s - Li tt le Ro ck

__ __ __ __ __ __
Su bm it te d: Jan ua ry

11 , 20 17 Fil ed : M ay

30 , 20 17

__ __ __ __ __ __Befo re SM ITH an d KELLY, Circ ui t J ud ge s, an d S IPPEL, Dis tri ct Ju dg e. 1 2

__ __ __ __ __ __
SMI TH, Circ ui t J ud ge

.

The Uni te d St at es Fo res t Serv ic e (“ Fo res t Serv ic e”) de ve lo pe d a m an ag em en t pl an fo r th e Ozark

–S t. Fran c i s N a ti on al Fo res ts an d an al y zed th e pl an ’s

en vi ro nm en ta l effe ct s in 20 05

. At th at ti m e, th e Fo res t Serv ic e an ti ci pa te d 10 –2 0 ne w

na tu ral -g as well s wit hi n te n y ears

. Tha t ex pe ct at io n aro se fro m pr ojec ti on s ab ou t

na tu r a l

- ga s de ve lo pm en t in no rth cen tra l Ark an sa s’s Fayette vi ll e Sh al e Pl ay

. The

pr ojec ti on m is se d th e m ark

. Thre e y ears la te r, th e Fo res t Serv ic e di sc ov ered th at th e be tt er pr ed ic ti on was no t 10 –2 0 ne w well s, bu t 1,7 30

. It ne ve rth el es s co nc lu de d, aft er

co ns ul ti ng va rio us ex pe rts , th at th is 8 5- fo ld in crea se in pr ed ic te d dr il li ng di d no t

req ui re a “ co rrec ti on , su pp le m en t, or rev is io n” to th e or ig in al en vi ro nm en ta l an al y si s. The Ozark So c i e ty (“ th e So ci et y ”) ch al le ng es th is co nc lu si on , co nt en di ng th at th e Fo res t Serv ic e di d no t lo ok ha rd en ou gh at th e en vi ro nm en ta l effe ct s of dr il li ng 1,7 30

w e l l s v e rs us 10 –2 0. Bec au se th e So ci et y ha s no t id en ti fie d an y pa rti cu la r m em be r who st an ds to be ha rm ed by th e go ve rn m en t acti on it ch al le ng es , it la ck s a co nc ret e in te res t i n t hi s d is pu te , and we m us t d is m is s fo r la ck of ju ris di ct io n.

I. Bac kg ro un d
Th e Nati on al Fo res t Man ag em en t Act of 19 76 req ui res th e Secr et ary of Agr ic ul tu re to de ve lo p “ l a n d an d res ou rce m an ag em en t pl an s” fo r each na ti on al
fo res t. 16 U.S.C. § 16 04 (a); se e al so Ohi o For es t r

y As s ’ n , I nc

. v. Si er ra Cl ub
, 52 3
U.S. 72 6, 7 28 –2 9 (1 99 8) . Thi s d ut y de vo lv es to th e Fo res t Se rv ic e, whi ch m an ag es

The Hon or ab le Lav en sk i R. Sm it h be cam e Ch ie f Ju dg e of th e Uni te d S t a te s 1 Co ur t o f App eal s fo r th e Eig ht h C irc ui t o n M arch 11 , 20 17

.
The Hon or ab le Ro dn ey W

. Si pp el
, Ch ie f Ju dg e, Uni te d St at es Dis tri ct Co ur t 2 fo r th e Eas te rn Dis tri ct of M is so ur i, s it ti ng by des ig na ti on

.
-2

-t h e n a t io na l-f or es t syste m

. Ohi o For es tr y Ass ’n
, 52 3 U.S. at 72 9. Ano th er act , t h e Nati on al Env iro nm en ta l Po li cy Act, re qui res th at “ m ajor Fed eral act io ns si gn ifi can tl y affe ct in g th e qu al it y of th e hu m an en vi ro nm en t” —s uc h as th e de ve lo pm en t of a la nd

an d res ou rce m an ag em en t pl an —b e acco m pa ni ed by an en vi ro nm en ta l im pa ct

st at em en t. 42 U.S.C. § 43 32 (2 )(C) (i)

. An ag en cy m us t su pp le m en t an en vi ro nm en ta l
im pa ct st at em en t if th ere is m aj o r f e d e r a l act io n y et to oc cu r an d it di sc ov ers si gn ifi can t ne w in fo rm at io n “ rel ev an t to en vi ro nm en ta l co nc ern s an d be ari ng on th e
pr op os ed act io n.” 40 C.F.R. § 15 02 .9(c )(1 )(i i); se e al so No rt on v. S. Uta h W

il de rn es s All

. , 54 2 U.S. 55
, 72 –7 3 (2 00 4)

. The F or es t Serv ic e po li cy m an ua l req ui res it to

e x pl ai n it s de ci si on no t to su pp le m en t an en vi ro nm en ta l im pa ct st at em en t in a do cu m en t so m et im es c a l l ed a “ Su pp le m en ta l In fo rm at io n Rep or t” (SIR ). Fo res t S e r v ic e Han db oo k 19 09 .15 § 18 .1. Thi s cas e co nc ern s a 20 10 SIR in vo lv in g th e Ozark –S t. Fra nc is Nati on al Fo res ts

.

The Ozark an d St

. Fran ci s na ti on al fo res ts are two se pa rat e na ti on al
fo res ts —o ne m os tl y in no rth ern Ark an sa s’s Ozark Mo un ta in s an d th e ot he r in eas te rn Ark an sa s’s de lt a reg io n— th at are m an ag ed to ge th er. The la te st m an ag em en t pl an fo r th es e f o res ts da te s fro m 20 05

. It to ok fo ur y ears to de ve lo p. Thi s “ m ajor fed eral

act io n” req ui red an en vi ro nm en ta l im pa ct st at em en t. Tha t st at em en t, al so pu bl is he d
in 20 05
, ex ceed s 50 0 pa ge s. It no te s 49 act iv e ga s well s in th e Ozark Nati on al Fo res t

an d a nt ic ip at es 10 –2 0 n ew well s wi th in ten y ears

.

By 20 07 , di sc ov ery of na tu ral ga s in no rth cen tra l Ark an sa s le d to a bo om in
dr il li ng in th e Fayette vi ll e Sh al e. Se e Tho m as A. Dail y & W. C h r i st op he r Barr ie r, W el l, No w, Ain ’t Th at Ju s t Fu ga ci ou s! : A Bas ic Pri mer on Arka ns as Oil an d Gas
La w , 29 U. Ark. Lit tl e Ro ck L. R ev . 2 11 , 2 11 (2 00 7) . Th at y ear, th e Fo res t Serv ic e

as ke d t he Bu reau of Lan d M an ag em en t t o m ak e an up da te d p red ic ti on ab ou t fu tu re
ga s dev el op m en t in th e Ozark Nati on al Fo res t. In 200 8, th e Bu reau cam e ba ck wit h

a nu m be r m or e th an 85 -t i mes h i g he r th an th e Fo res t Serv ic e’s or ig in al pr ed ic ti on : 1,7 30 ne w well s. The Fo res t Serv ic e ta lk ed to sp eci al is ts ov er th e ne xt two y ears an d

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-in 20 10 is su ed a SIR. It co nc lu de d th at th is dr am a t i c i n c r eas e in pr ed ic te d dr il li ng

req ui red no “ co rrec ti on , su pp le m en t, or rev is io n” to th e or i g in al en vi ro nm en ta l
im pa ct st at em en t. In effe ct , th e ag en cy co nc lu de d th at th e or ig in al st at em en t was st il l
rel ia bl e. 3

The So ci et y su ed va rio us f e d e r al -ag en cy de fen da nt s in Octo be r 20 11 to ch al le ng e th e de ci si on em bo di ed in th e 20 10 SIR. The So c i e t y is a no np ro fit 4

co ns erv at io n an d recr eat io n g r o up th at se ek s to pr ot ect th e na tu ral ch arac te r of
Ark an sa s’s Ozark Mo un ta in s, pa rti cu la rly it s sc en ic wil de rn es s. The So ci et y so ug ht

a jud gm en t de cl ari ng th at th e 20 10 SIR de ci si on w a s a r b it rary an d cap ric io us an d
th eref or e in vi ol at io n of the Adm in is tra ti ve Pro ced ur es Act. It als o so ug ht to en joi n fu rth er m in eral le as in g in th e Ozark Nati on al Fo res t. The di st ric t cou rt hel d th at th e So ci et y ha d st an di ng to su e bu t den ie d pre li m in ary in jun ct iv e rel ie f. It lat er g ran te d

su m m ary jud gm en t to th e fed eral ag en ci es fo r fo ur reas on s. Firs t, th e 20 10 SIR was

no t a fin al ag en cy act io n su bjec t to jud ic ia l rev ie w. S eco nd , t he Fo res t Serv ic e was

no t o b l i g a t e d to su pp le m en t th e 20 05 en vi ro nm en ta l im pa ct st at em en t. Thi rd
, th e fed eral ag en ci es di d no t ha ve to al lo w pu bl ic pa rti ci pa ti on whe n de ci di ng whe th er to

su pp le m en t th e en vi ro nm en ta l im pa ct st at em en t. And fo ur th
, th e So ci et y ’s ch al le ng e
to on e pa rti cu la r dr il li ng pe rm it was m oo t be cau se th e well ha d al read y be en dr il le d.
The So ci et y

ap pe al s.

It t ur ns ou t th at th e 10 –2 0 well pr ed ic ti on was c lo se r to real it y th an th e la te r 3 1,7 30 well pr ed ic ti on

. In 20 1 4
, t h e Fo res t Serv ic e no te d th at “ [f]rom 20 06 th ro ug h 20 13 fo rty on e pr od uc in g na tu ral ga s well s, fiv e ex pl or at or y well s, an d two no n pr od uc in g or dry ho le s h av e b een de ve lo pe d o n t he Fo res t

. . . . Dur in g th e la st two y ears , no na tu ral ga s wel ls ha ve be en de ve lo pe d o n t he Fo res t.”

As de fen da n t s , th e So ci et y joi ne d th e Fo res t Serv ic e, th e Bu reau of Lan d 4 Man ag em en t, the Su pe rv is or of th e Ozark –S t. Franc is Nati on al Fo res ts , th e East ern St at es Dire ct or of th e Bu reau of Lan d M a n a g e men t, an d th e East ern St at es Fi el d Man ag er o f th e Bu reau of Lan d M an ag em en t.

-4

-II. Dis cu ss io n

Fi rs t we m

us t ad dr es s whe th er th e So ci et y ha s st an di ng to ch al le ng e th e ag en cy
act io n at is su e. O u r co ns ti tu ti on al res po ns ib il it y is to “ red res s or pr ev en t act ua l or im m in en tl y th reat en ed in jury,” an d un le ss a p a r t y h as su ffer ed su ch an in jury, we ha ve “ no ch art er to rev ie w an d rev is e

. . . ex ecu ti ve act io n.” Su mmers v. Ear th Is la nd
In st

. , 5 5 5 U.S. 48 8, 49 2 (2 00 9)

. Pu t an ot he r way , we m ay ad jud ic at e on ly “ Cas es ”

an d “ Co nt ro ve rs ie s.” U.S. Co ns t. art

. III, § 2, cl

. 1. The do ct rin e of st an di ng ke ep s us
to th is bu si ne ss

. It req ui res , am on g ot he r th in gs , th at th e pl ai nt iff h a v e an act ua l or im m in en t in

jury be fo re in vo ki ng a fed eral co ur t’s ai d. Lu ja n v. Defs

. of W

il dl if e , 50 4
U.S. 55 5, 56 0– 6 1 ( 1 9 9 2)

. The in jury ne ed no t be ph y si cal ; ha rm to recr eat io na l or

es th et ic in te res ts m ay su ffi ce. Su mmers , 55 5 U.S. at 49 4. And th e in jury ne ed no t be

as se rte d di rect ly by th e in

jure d pa rty; or ga ni zat io ns li ke th e Ozark So ci et y m ay as se rt th e st an di ng of th ei r m em be rs

. Id

. Bu t “ ge ne ral iz ed h a r m t o t he fo res t or th e

en vi ro nm en t wi ll no t al on e su pp or t s ta nd in g.” Id

.

Hav in g a “ sp eci fic an d co n cret e pl an

. . . to en joy th e na ti on al fo res ts ”
di st in gu is he s a pa rti cu la r ha rm to a recr eat io na l in te res t fro m m ere ge ne ral iz ed ha rm

. Id

. at 49 5. W he n th e pl ai nt iff is a gr ou p, th is pl an m us t be lo ng to an id en ti fie d gr ou p

m em be r, no t m erel y t o t h e g r o u p at la rg e. Id

. at 49 8; se e al so Ass oc ia te d Gen

. Co nt ra ct or

s of Am., Sa n Dieg o Ch ap te r, In c. v. Ca l. Dep ’t of Tr an sp

. , 71 3 F.3 d 11 87
, 1 1 94 (9 th Ci r. 20 13 ). The bu rd en of es ta bl is hi ng th e sp eci fic pl an of an in di vi du a l

m em be r to en joy th e fo res t— in ot he r wor ds
, th e bu rd en to es ta bl is h st an di ng —re st s

on th e pa rty ask in g a fed eral co ur t t o a dju di cat e it s d is pu te

. Lu ja n , 50 4 U.S. at 56 1.

The di st ric t co ur t in th is cas e co nc lu de d th at th e So ci et y ’s “ al le ga ti on s an d th e affi da vi t of Ro be rt Cro ss

. . . ad eq ua te ly se t fo rth al le ge d co nc ret e an d pa rti cu la riz ed
ha rm whi ch wil l res ul t fro m t he dr il li ng act iv it ie s.” Para gr ap h 12 of th e So ci et y ’s

co m pla int de sc rib es th e or ga ni zat io n’s ba ck gr ou nd an d it s rel at ion shi p w ith the O za rk
Nati on al Fo res t:

-5

-The Ozark S o c i et y m em be rs hi p ut il iz es th e Ozark Nati on al Fo res t,

ro ad le ss area s, wi ld ern es s ar eas , and wil d a nd sc en ic riv ers for hi ki ng , bo at in g, an d ot he r ou td oo r recr eat io n act iv it ie s. The Ozark So ci et y reg ul arl y sc he du le s ou ti ng s in th e Ozark Nati on al Fo res t.

. . . The Ozark So ci et y ha s a ve st ed in te res t in th e en vi ro nm en ta l he al th o f t h e O z ark Nati on al Fo res t.

Para gr ap h 8 0 d es cri be s t he ha rm flo win g fr om

th e d efen da nt s’ act io ns :

The de fen da nt s ha ve en ga ge d in a co ur se of act io n whi ch ha s cau se d,

an d wil l co nt in ue to cau se , irr ep arab le en vi ro nm en ta l ha rm in th e Ozark Nati on al Fo res t. Thi s ha rm cau se s a di rect ad ve rs e im pa ct on th e Ozark So ci et y ’s in te res t. The de fen da nt s ha ve al so de ni ed th e Ozark So ci et y

an d th e pu bl ic th e rig ht to p a r t i c ip at e in th e [Nat io na l Env iro nm en ta l Po li cy Act] pr oc es s fo r as se ss in g su ch en vi ro nm en ta l ha rm

. The de fen da nt s’ act io ns ha ve cau se d ha rm to th e Ozark So ci et y ’s in te res t in th e m an ag em en t an d en vi ro nm en ta l well

- b e i ng of th e Ozark Nati on al Fo res t, an d th e Ozark So ci et y ’s ab il it y to pa rti ci pa te in th os e

m an ag em en t d eci si on s.

The ot he r al le ge d su pp or t fo r st an di ng co m es fro m th e de cl arat io n of Rob ert Cro ss , th e So ci et y ’s Pres id en t. Cro ss de cl ared th at he ha s le d an d pa rti ci pa te d in hi ke s in th e Ozark Nati on al Fo res t. He al so reca ll ed th e So ci et y ho ld in g a m eet in g t he re.

On de no vo rev ie w, Jo ne s v. Gal e , 47 0 F.3 d 12 61
, 1 2 6 5 ( 8 th Ci r. 20 06 ), we

co nc lu de th at th e co m

pl ai nt an d dec la rat io n do no t es ta bl is h th e So ci et y ’s st an di ng

. Para gr ap h 80 is a se rie s of ge ne ral an d con cl us or y le ga l all eg at io ns —i t pro vi de s no fact s ab ou t ho w t he de fen d a n t s ’ a c t i on s ha ve ha rm ed or wil l ha rm th e So ci et y , a nd
it sp eak s on ly fo r th e S o c i e t y a s a who le
, rat he r th an fo r an id en ti fie d m em be r. Para gr ap h 12 do es al le ge th at th e So ci et y “ reg ul arl y sc he du le s ou ti ng s” in th e Ozark
Nati on al Fo res t, whi ch m ig ht be su ffi ci en t to es ta bl is h a sp e c i f ic pl an to us e th e Fo res t in th e fu tu re be cau se it im pl ie s an on go in g u s e

. Y e t pa rag rap h 12
, li ke

p a r a g r a p h 80
, at tri bu te s th is pl an on ly to th e So ci et y ge ne ral ly, rat he r th an to a n

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-id en ti fie d m em be r. It st an ds to reas on th at so m e of th e So ci et y ’s m em be rs sh are th e
gr ou p’s m is si on bu t no t it s us e of th e Fo res t. And whi le it is st at is ti cal ly pr ob ab le th at

pa rag rap h 12 ’s la ng ua ge de sc rib es at le as t on e pa rti cu la r m em be r, “ [t]hi s req ui rem en t of na m in g th e affe ct ed m em be rs ha s ne ve r be en di sp en se d wit h in li gh t of st at is ti cal

pr ob ab il it ie s, bu t on ly whe re al l th e m em be rs of th e or ga ni zat io n are affe ct ed by th e ch al le ng ed act iv it y .” Su mmers , 55 5 U.S. at 49 8– 99

. The So ci et y ha s no t arg ue d th at th e Fo res t S e r v ic e’s act io ns ne ces sa ril y wou ld affe ct al l it s m em be rs in a co nc ret e
way , an d we w o u l d ha ve to sp ecu la te to co nc lu de as m uc h. The Cro ss de cl arat io n
pr es en ts th e op po si te s h o r t c o m in g: it id en ti fie s a pa rti cu la r m em be r wit h no st at ed pl an to en joy th e Fo res t i n t he fut ur e. Se e id

. at 4 95

.

Th e So ci et y at te m

pt s to di st in gu is h Su mmers by p oi nt in g ou t th at th e pa rti e s th ere ha d res ol ve d th ei r di sp ut e ab ou t a pa rti cu la r fo res t pr ojec t. Bu t Su mmers al so

no te d th at th e pl ai nt iff

s ha d “ id en ti fie d no ot he r a p p l i c at io n of th e in va li da te d

reg ul at io ns th at th reat en s im m in en t an d co nc ret e ha rm to th e in te res ts o f th ei r

m em be rs .” Id

. The Co ur t ca m e to th is co nc lu si on aft er co ns id eri ng an affi da vi t th at sh owe d no “ sp eci fic an d co nc ret e pl an ” by a pa rti cu la r m em be r to en joy th e na ti on al
fo res t s

. I d

. The So ci et y al so no te s th at th e ag en cy act io n in Su mmers in vo lv ed

ag en cy -wid e reg ul at io n whi le th is cas e in vo lv es a si ng le ag en cy de ci si on

. Ass um in g th is is a di st in ct io n, it st il l do es no t su pp ly an y m em be r of th e So ci et y wit h an in te res t in th e n at io na l fo res ts affe ct ed by thi s ag en cy de ci si on

.

Nor are we pe rs ua de d th at th is cas e is li ke Pac if ic Rive r s C o u nc il v. Uni te d
S t a t e s For es t Se rv ic e , on whi ch th e So ci et y rel ie s. 68 9 F.3 d 10 12 (9 th Ci r. 2 0 1 2 )
,

va ca te d as moo t , 13 3 S. Ct

. 28 43 ( 2 0 1 3 )

. In Pac if ic Rive rs , th e or ga ni zat io n’s
ch ai rm an de cl ared th at he li ve d ne ar an d freq ue nt ed th e po te nt ia ll y affe ct ed area

. Id

. at 10 22

. The Nin th Ci rcu it co nc lu de d th at th e ch ai rm an ha d “ cl earl y st at ed th at he an d

a nu m be r of Paci fic Ri ve rs ’ m em be rs ha ve us ed
, an d wil l co nt in ue to us e, th e na ti on al
fo res ts in th e Si erra s in a va rie ty of pl aces an d in a va rie ty of way s.” Id

. The So ci et y ,
on th e ot he r ha nd
, ha s al le g e d on ly th at as a gr ou p it reg ul arl y us es th e Ozark

-7

-Nati on al Fo res t an d t ha t o ne id en ti fie d m em be r ha s u se d i t i n t he pa st . Thi s i s s ho rt of th e m ark

.

Bec au se th e So ci et y ch al le ng es fed eral act io n a f f e c t i n g th e Ozark Nati on al
Fo res t wit ho ut al le gi ng th at a pa rti cu la r m em be r ha s a sp eci fic pl an to us e th at fo res t, th ere i s n o cas e or co nt ro ve rs y be fo re us , an d we la ck au th or it y to ad jud ic at e th is
di sp ut e.

III. Co nc lu si on

. Acco rd in gl y , we di sm is s t he ap pe al for lac k o f juri sd ic ti on

.

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

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