Opinion ID: 742736
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: All-Terrain Vehicles (Count VI)

Text: 135 The plaintiffs' challenge to the ALRMP's provisions for all-terrain vehicle and off-highway motorcycle (ATV/OHM) use focuses mainly on the environmental analysis used to support this decision. The plaintiffs argue that the Forest Service has failed to discuss the experiences that other national forests have had after authorizing ATV/OHM use. They further contend that the Forest Service should have conducted a site-specific analysis for the ATV/OHM corridors that have been identified in the ALRMP. 136 The Court's review of the FSEIS shows that the Forest Service has conducted a fairly comprehensive assessment of the environmental effects of allowing ATV/OHM use on the forest in general. (See FSEIS at 3-13 to 3-15, 4-46 to 4-51.) The Forest Service was aware that ATV/OHM use could have an adverse effect on soils, but stated that these effects can be mitigated by route design, hardening the trail with gravel or other material, prohibiting use during wet periods or freeze-thaw cycles, installing drainage structures, and other actions. (FSEIS at 4-46 to 4-47.) The Forest Service also was aware that some fish and wildlife could be adversely affected by damage to habitat and through the indirect disturbance caused by noise and presence of such human activity. (FSEIS at 449 to 4-50.) Here again, however, the Forest Service noted that there are opportunities to mitigate human disturbances. (FSEIS at 4-50 to 4-51.) Moreover, it is significant to note that in identifying ATV/OHM corridors, the Forest Service was careful to prohibit such use in sensitive areas such as forest interior management units and wilderness areas. (FSEIS at 4-50 to 4-51.) 137 The plaintiffs argue that the ALRMP's designation of ATV corridors is a site-specific decision that requires a site-specific analysis of the environmental consequences. To the contrary, the Forest Service properly points out that designation of ATV corridors is purely a zoning decision, just as with other aspects of the ALRMP. In other words, the ALRMP simply identifies particular areas of the forest as generally suitable for ATV use; site-specific decisions will be made at a later date when actual trails are designated. This two-step process and the Forest Service's NEPA obligations at each stage have been described as follows: 138 First, the agency develops a Forest Plan to establish management goals on a forest-wide basis. Forest Plans may include proposals for specific logging projects and otherwise set management goals for particular regions of the forest. Implementation of the development strategies outlined in Forest Plans occurs at the second stage, in which the Forest Supervisor proposes individual, site-specific projects in accordance with the programmatic Forest Plan.... In order to satisfy its obligations under NEPA, the Forest Service prepares an EIS in connection with each Forest Plan to evaluate the forest-wide environmental effects of the management scheme outlined in the Plan.... At the implementation stage, the agency either prepares a second, site-specific EIS, or, in an [environmental assessment], makes a finding that the individual project will have no significant environmental impact beyond that discussed in the Forest Plan EIS. 139 Smith v. United States Forest Serv., 33 F.3d 1072, 1074-75 (9th Cir.1994) (citations omitted). 140 Because the ALRMP is programmatic in nature, the accompanying FSEIS was required only to consider the forestwide environmental effects of allowing ATV usage within particular corridors. That inquiry obviously must attempt to assess the environmental consequences for the general location or management area in which the ATV corridors are proposed, which the FSEIS has attempted to do. The Forest Service need not, however, conduct a site-specific assessment until it designates actual trails. 16 141 The plaintiffs' other objection has considerable merit. As part of its analysis, the FSEIS stated that other agencies that have authorized ATV//OHM use report few problems with use outside the authorized areas or criminal activity associated with ATV/OHM use. (FSEIS at 3-15.) However, the Court has been unable to find any evidence in the record to support this conclusory statement and, in fact, one document of record suggests that the Land Between the Lakes has experienced serious problems. (Administrative R., Doc. 88p.) 142 The Land Between the Lakes (LBL) Off-Road Vehicle (ORV) Area has experienced a dramatic increase in use in recent years. As use of the area has increased, so have the problems which must be addressed, or the area will be closed. Many ORV users disregard our boundaries, litter, vandalize, and drive their machines through cemeteries. Excessive use of alcohol and disruptive behavior of a few have caused some ORV users, particularly families, to avoid the area. 143 (Administrative R., Doc. 88p.) As a result, Land Between the Lakes officials were forced to enact special enforcement measures. 144 The Forest Service's failure to acknowledge the Land Between the Lakes experience is especially troublesome in light of the Shawnee National Forest's historic difficulties with enforcing ATV prohibitions. The FSEIS notes that prior to adoption of the ALRMP, ATV use was authorized on a 1.4-mile route but the route is not used much because most users do not find it challenging. (FSEIS at 3-13.) As a result, riders have gone in search of more exciting terrain elsewhere in the Shawnee with damaging consequences. (FSEIS at 3-13 (stating that hill-climbs over sensitive or shallow soils are resulting in erosion of the slopes; operation of ATV/OHMs in stream channels or along banks and levees is resulting in sedimentation and damage to aquatic habitats; and conflicts with other Forest visitors are reported when ATV/OHMs are used on roads and trails.).) Riders also have used the county, township, and forest roads within the Shawnee. (FSEIS at 3-15.) The Forest Service notes that [a]ll of this use is currently illegal, but the number of riders and those demanding to be permitted this activity is overwhelming.... (FSEIS at 3-15.) Although Forest Officers have issued citations for illegal ATV use on forest lands, they cannot interfere with riders on private lands or on county, township, and forest roads open to public motorized use. (FSEIS at 3-15.) 145 The regional forester responded to concerns about user conflicts and environmental effects by emphasizing that the ALRMP would limit ATV/OHM use only to those roads or trails that have been specifically designated. Cross-country use is prohibited and there are strong standards and guidelines to protect the environment and reduce user conflicts. (ROD for ALRMP at 18.) He further stated that the ALRMP includes specific monitoring and enforcement guidelines to assure compliance with the rules and prompt action if environmental damage occurs. (ROD for ALRMP at 18.) A review of the monitoring and enforcement plan finds that there are, indeed, strong guidelines for monitoring the impacts of ATV/OHM use and taking action, including closure of the trail, where considerable adverse effects are detected. However, the provisions for enforcement of the ATV/OHM regulations is minimal. (ALRMP at IV-28 to IV-29, App.H.) While the plan notes that ATV/OHM travel outside the designated trails is of great concern[,] there is no attempt to identify specific enforcement efforts to address this problem or to explain why the Forest Service expects to be successful in restricting travel to the designated trails when its past efforts have been unsuccessful. 146 The failure to acknowledge the problems at Land Between the Lakes and to provide a meaningful analysis of the Forest Service's plans to enforce its trail regulations is of great significance in this case because the FSEIS's environmental analysis is based largely upon the assumption that ATV/OHM users will abide by the regulations, i.e., the analysis anticipates only the environmental consequences from use on the designated trails. For example, the FSEIS states that adoption of alternatives 2, 3, or 5 would result in negligible impacts to water quality because of the way that the routes will be designed. (FSEIS at 4-47.) If the Forest Service is unsuccessful in enforcing its trail regulations, however, the environmental impacts obviously would be greater. 147 In short, FSEIS fails to discuss the likelihood of keeping ATV/OHM users on designated trails or, in the alternative, what the increased environmental effects will be due to an inability to keep such users on the trails. Moreover, although the FSEIS mentions that the Hoosier National Forest in Indiana has refused to authorize ATV use within its boundaries, there is no attempt to explain why the Forest Service considers the Shawnee to be suitable for this type of recreation when the Hoosier is not. 148 Based upon the deficiencies discussed above, the Court finds that the environmental analysis fails to comply with NEPA. The Court, therefore, rules in favor of the plaintiffs on Count VI of the complaint and concludes that the FSEIS must be remanded for further consideration by the Forest Service. 149 The Court emphasizes, however, that this decision does not in any way suggest that the Forest Service should not attempt to provide this type of recreation in the Shawnee. To the contrary, the Forest Service has established a laudable goal of attempting to reach a compromise among competing recreational interests by providing a mix of opportunities in the Shawnee. (ROD for ALRMP at 18.) The Court also agrees with the Forest Service's observation that the vast majority of people that have actively supported ATV/OHM use on the Shawnee National Forest are rational people more than willing to comply with rational laws and regulations. (FSEIS at 3-15.) Thus, the order of remand is not meant to suggest that the Forest Service has reached the wrong decision; rather, the case is remanded only to ensure that the Forest Service reaches its decision after being fully informed of the environmental facts. 150