Case Name: UNION OF CONCERNED SCIENTISTS, et al., Petitioners, v. U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION and the United States of America, Respondents, Nuclear Utility Backfitting and Reform Group, Intervener. (Two Cases)
Court: United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
Jurisdiction: United States
Decision Date: 1988-03-04
Citations: 840 F.2d 957
Docket Number: Nos. 85-1757, 86-1219
Parties: UNION OF CONCERNED SCIENTISTS, et al., Petitioners, v. U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION and the United States of America, Respondents, Nuclear Utility Backfitting and Reform Group, Intervener. (Two Cases)
Judges: Before MIKVA, EDWARDS and WILLIAMS, Circuit Judges.
Reporter: Federal Reporter 2d Series
Volume: 840
Pages: 957–964

Head Matter:
UNION OF CONCERNED SCIENTISTS, et al., Petitioners, v. U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION and the United States of America, Respondents, Nuclear Utility Backfitting and Reform Group, Intervener. (Two Cases)
Nos. 85-1757, 86-1219.
United States Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit.
March 4, 1988.
Diane Curran, Andrea Ferster and Ellyn R. Weiss, Washington, D.C., were on petitioners' motion, for attorneys’ fees and costs.
William H. Briggs, Jr., Solicitor, and G. Paul Bollwerk, III, Sr. Atty., U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Com’n, Washington, D.C., were on respondent’s, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Com’n, opposition to motion.
Before MIKVA, EDWARDS and WILLIAMS, Circuit Judges.

Opinion:
Opinion PER CURIAM.
Dissenting opinion filed by Circuit Judge WILLIAMS.
PER CURIAM:
The Court has reviewed the request for attorneys' fees and costs filed by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). In the case in chief, Union of Concerned Scientists v. U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 824 F.2d 108 (D.C.Cir.1987), this court vacated the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) "backfit" rule for reasons stated in that opinion. While the court did not uphold all of the challenges made to the backfit rule, it held that the rule was invalid on the ground that it violated the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, 42 U.S.C. § 2011 et seq., (the Act). Since UCS contended that the rule was invalid, and NRC insisted that it was valid in all respects, UCS clearly was the "prevailing party" within the meaning of the Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA), 28 U.S.C. § 2412 (1982). Throughout this court's proceeding, NRC argued for the validity of its rule. The court rejected NRC's position, stating "We think that the vulnerability of the rule to this and other impermissible interpretations compels our vacating the rule. In our view, the backfitting rule is an exemplar of ambiguity and vagueness_" 824 F.2d at 119. The court went on to say "Because we find that the rule's treatment of economic costs demands that we vacate the rule in its entirety, we do not reach petitioners' other challenges to aspects of the rule." We concluded by saying "Because the Commission's rule allows the Commission to consider costs under the adequate-protection standard, and therefore expands beyond the bounds of the statute the Commission's authority and discretion, the rule does not pass muster." Under these circumstances, we find that the NRC's position was "not substantially justified" within the meaning of EAJA. The court is mindful of the admonition of the Supreme Court that "A request for attorney's fees should not result in a second major litigation." Hensley v. Eckerhart, 461 U.S. 424, 437, 103 S.Ct. 1933, 1941, 76 L.Ed.2d 40 (1983). Under such a mandate, we find no authority for the kind of revisitation to the main litigation that our dissenting colleague deems necessary.
Accordingly, petitioners are awarded attorneys' fees in the amount of $59,810.00 and costs in the amount of $703.35. The award of attorneys' fees is based on the statutory cap of $75.00 per hour, enhanced by a cost of living increase, as authorized by the statute, to $91.30 per hour. The request for an hourly fee based on special circumstances is denied.