Opinion ID: 329593
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Arguably Within the Zone of Protected Interests.

Text: 28 The policies underlying NEPA are extremely broad, See 42 U.S.C. § 4331, and the environmental interests it seeks to protect are shared by all citizens. In a sense, therefore, the intended beneficiaries of NEPA are individual citizens; but the statute expressly contemplates that state and local governments are to play an important role in the effectuation of national environmental policy. See 42 U.S.C. §§ 4331(a), 4332(2)(C), 4332(2)(F), 4341(4), 4345(1). Thus, while a municipality's interest in agency compliance with NEPA in one sense derives from the interests of its citizens in avoiding the consequences of environmental damage, under California law it is the municipality which is entrusted with protection of certain of these environmental interests, by virtue of statutory duties to develop and enforce a general plan, to maintain or contract for a municipal water supply, and so on. Accordingly we hold that Davis' municipal interests fall within the scope of NEPA's protections. Cf. Washington Utilities & Transportation Commission v. F.C.C., supra, 513 F.2d at 1151-1152. 29 The fact that § 102(2)(C) expressly contemplates local government participation in the EIS review process also indicates that Davis is arguably within the zone of NEPA's procedural safeguards. 14 30