Source: https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/487/814/81734/
Timestamp: 2019-11-15 09:35:26
Document Index: 758235642

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 4321', '§ 706', '§ 706', '§ 383', '§ 706', '§ 706']

Environmental Defense Fund, Inc., et al., Plaintiffs-appellants, v. Ellis Armstrong, Commissioner, Bureau of Reclamation, Etal., Defendants-appellees.environmental Defense Fund, Inc., et al., Plaintiffs, Andthe Sierra Club, Plaintiff-appellant, v. Ellis Armstrong, Commissioner, Bureau of Reclamation, Etal., Defendants-appellees, 487 F.2d 814 (9th Cir. 1973) :: Justia
Justia › US Law › Case Law › Federal Courts › Courts of Appeals › Ninth Circuit › 1973 › Environmental Defense Fund, Inc., et al., Plaintiffs-appellants, v. Ellis Armstrong, Commissioner, B...
Environmental Defense Fund, Inc., et al., Plaintiffs-appellants, v. Ellis Armstrong, Commissioner, Bureau of Reclamation, Etal., Defendants-appellees.environmental Defense Fund, Inc., et al., Plaintiffs, Andthe Sierra Club, Plaintiff-appellant, v. Ellis Armstrong, Commissioner, Bureau of Reclamation, Etal., Defendants-appellees, 487 F.2d 814 (9th Cir. 1973)
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit - 487 F.2d 814 (9th Cir. 1973) Nov. 9, 1973
This is another case challenging the adequacy of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) under the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 U.S.C. § 4321 et seq. (NEPA). The statement was filed because a public works project known as the New Melones Dam across the Stanislaus River in California constituted a "major Federal action" which would significantly affect the quality of the human environment. The dam was originally authorized by Congress under the Flood Control Act of 1944 and reauthorized under the Flood Control Act of 1962, 76 Stat. 1180, as a multi-purpose project with benefits of flood control, irrigation, fish and wildlife enhancement, power generation and water quality control. The diversion tunnel, a 25 million dollar project, had been substantially completed at the time this action was filed and was therefore not the subject of requested relief. The main construction contract had not been let and this action concerns that contract and the completion of the project. An injunction pending the resolution of this appeal has stayed further project action.
3. The final revised EIS should be submitted to the Council on Environmental Quality and to the court and thereafter a second hearing was to be held, with the court retaining jurisdiction of the matter pending final hearing. Environmental Defense Fund, Inc., et al. v. Ellis Armstrong, Commissioner, Bureau of Reclamation, et al., 352 F. Supp. 50 (N.D. Cal. 1972).
Each of the parties to this appeal appears to advocate that the standard for appellate review of a trial court decision on the adequacy of the EIS is the "clearly erroneous" test under section 52(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.5 An examination of the Act, and of the cases decided under it, does not support such a conclusion. More often the courts look to the provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. § 706(2) (A),6 Life of the Land v. Brinegar, 485 F.2d 460 (9th Cir. 1973); Silva v. Lynn, 482 F.2d 1282 (1st Cir. 1973).7 We do likewise here.
The EIS as revised has been reviewed on appeal and we agree with the judgment of the District Court as to its adequacy under NEPA requirements, as measured by 5 U.S.C. § 706(2) (A).
The final question is one which has developed pending the appeal. In the trial court the plaintiffs had contended that before proceeding with construction the government must obtain permits from the SWRCB. In 1960 the federal defendants had filed applications for permits to appropriate water from the Stanislaus River by direct diversion and by storage. The applications were made pursuant to section 1200 et seq. of the California Water Code and section 8 of the Federal Reclamation Act of 1902, 43 U.S.C. § 383. Between 1960 and 1972 the Bureau of Reclamation had sought delays in order to negotiate differences, but in 1972 the SWRCB forced the matter to hearing, which was the posture of the case when this litigation was decided on March 16, 1973. See Environmental Defense Fund, Inc. v. Armstrong, 356 F. Supp. 131, 140 (N.D. Cal. 1973); Environmental Defense Fund, Inc. v. Armstrong, 352 F. Supp. 50, 58 (N.D. Cal. 1972). On April 4, 1973, the SWRCB issued its Decision 1422, granting the requests sought by the Bureau of Reclamation in part and imposing conditions. It is not known at this time whether the Bureau has taken any further action with respect to the decision of the State Board.8
The order approves the applications in part and provides that the requested permits issue subject to conditions and limitations stated. The conditions and limitations are with respect to the manner in which the project is to be operated. It imposes no restriction upon the size of the construction project or the ultimate capacity of the dam as planned by the Bureau. It reduces the quantity of water to be appropriated under Application 19303 from the 2,420,000 acre feet per annum by storage, as requested, to the quantity, not to exceed 1,420,000 acre feet per annum, which can beneficially be used for power purposes. It reduces the quantity of water to be appropriated under Application 19304 for irrigation, domestic, municipal, industrial, fish culture, recreation and water quality control purposes from the 2,420,000 acre feet per annum by storage to a maximum of 1,420,000 acre feet per annum and states in this regard that " [u]ntil further order of the State Water Resources Control Board, the water shall be used only for preservation and enhancement of fish and wildlife, recreation and water control purposes." Paragraph four of the order continues with reference to permits under applications 14858 and 19304 and authorizes use of water therein approved for consumptive uses in Stanislaus, Calaveras, Tuolumne and San Joaquin Counties and invites a petition to amend to include other areas where necessary.
Assuming that the order as outlined is final, is not modified in further proceedings and is binding upon the federal agency, Ivanhoe Irrigation District v. McCracken, 357 U.S. 275, 78 S. Ct. 1174, 2 L. Ed. 2d 1313 (1958), the federal agency has obtained permission to construct the project as planned but its operation is limited by the decision to a reduction of one-half of its proposed capacity for storage for power purposes. By such a reduction the recreational uses are preserved. Jurisdiction is retained to permit an increase in actual storage should a justifiable need be demonstrated.
The second opinion of the District Court in this matter is reported in 356 F. Supp. 131 (N.D. Cal. 1973). Attention is invited to both opinions for the details of the controversy which is discussed generally herein, and for the excellent discussion by the court of the legal issues involved
5 U.S.C. § 706(2) (A) provides in pertinent part:
But see Jicarilla Apache Tribe of Indians v. Morton, 471 F.2d 1275, 1280 (9th Cir. 1973), which uses 5 U.S.C. § 706(2) (D) as the appropriate standard, permitting appellate review of findings and conclusions found to be "without observance of procedure required by law." Under the circumstances of this case, either test would lead to the same result
The official position of the Bureau of Reclamation with respect to the authority of SWRCB over it was made known to the trial court by telegram from James R. Smith, Assistant Secretary of the Interior, in response to a request from the trial court. 352 F. Supp. 50, 59 n. 2. The position in substance was that the Bureau was not subject to terms and conditions imposed by a state agency
We are also advised by the appellant, Sierra Club, in its opening brief that the obligation, if any, of the Bureau of Reclamation to comply with orders of the State Water Resources Control Board is presently subjudice in Central Valley Eastside Project Assn. v. SWRCB, (E.D. Cal. Civ. No. S2582); and in Kern County Water Agency v. SWRCB, (E.D. Cal. Civ. No. S2583).
" [B]efore initiating any diversion of water from the Stanislaus River Basin in connection with the operation of the Central Valley Project, the Secretary of the Interior shall determine the quantity of water required to satisfy all existing and anticipated future needs within that basin, and the diversion shall at all times be subordinate to the quantities so determined." 76 Stat. 1163, 1191
We do not read the National Environmental Protection Act to give to the courts the ultimate authority to approve or disapprove construction of a properly authorized project where an adequate EIS has been prepared and circulated in accordance with the NEPA requirements. There has been some uncertainty in the views of other courts upon this issue. Compare Committee for Nuclear Responsibility, Inc. v. Seaborg, 149 U.S.App.D.C. 380, 463 F.2d 783, 786-787 (D.C. Cir. 1971), with Environmental Defense Fund, Inc. v. Corps of Engineers, 470 F.2d 289, 297 (8th Cir. 1972). See also Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. v. Morton, 148 U.S.App.D.C. 5, 458 F.2d 827, 838 (D.C. Cir. 1972); City of New York v. United States, 344 F. Supp. 929, 940 (E.D.N.Y. 1972); Hanly v. Kleindienst, 471 F.2d 823, 840 (5th Cir. 1972) (Friendly, J. dissenting). We have taken the view that final judgments of project justification are not subject to review in an action to consider the adequacy of an EIS statement under NEPA. Jicarilla Apache Tribe of Indians v. Morton, 471 F.2d 1276, 1279-1280 (9th Cir. 1973). Congress in reauthorizing the project and in determining whether to proceed in the light of the EIS must consider many other factors in addition to the environmental effects. Those questions are not before us and properly so