Opinion ID: 298412
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Preservation of Parklands

Text: 12 The Brackenridge-Olmos Basin Parklands are unique park and recreation areas situated at the headwaters of the San Antonio River and surrounded by a densely populated urban area in San Antonio, Texas. The Parklands contain Sunken Gardens, an open air theatre, two golf courses, the San Antonio Zoo, picinic areas, nature trails, and many acres of green open space. While there is a factual dispute concerning the exact number of acres threatened by this proposed expressway, 13 it appears that the expressway will require the use of between 116 and 250 acres of parkland. 13 In recent years, the Congress of the United States has enacted several statutes designed to preserve just such parks as this from destruction by massive federal projects. 14 Specifically, we deal with three such statutes in this case: (1) Section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act of 1966, 23 U.S.C.A. 138 (Supp.1971), which provides as follows: 14 It is hereby declared to be the national policy that special effort should be made to preserve the natural beauty of the countryside and public park and recreation lands, wildlife and waterfowl refuges, and historic sites. The Secretary of Transportation shall cooperate and consult with the Secretaries of the Interior, Housing and Urban Development, and Agriculture, and with the States in developing transportation plans and programs that include measures to maintain or enhance the natural beauty of the lands traversed. After the effective date of Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1978, the Secretary shall not approve any program or project which requires the use of any publicly owned land from a public park, recreation area, or wildlife and waterfowl refuge of national, State or local significance as determined by the Federal, State, or local officials having jurisdiction thereof, or any land from an historic site of national, State, or local significance as so determined by such officials unless (1) there is no feasible and prudent alternative to the use of such land, and (2) such program includes all possible planning to minimize harm to such park, recreational area, wildlife and waterfowl refuge, or historic site resulting from such use. 15 (2) Section 138 of the Federal Aid to Highway Act of 1968, 49 U.S.C.A. 1653(f) (Supp.1971) which provides as follows: 15 16 (f) It is hereby declared to be the national policy that special effort should be made to preserve the natural beauty of the countryside and public park and recreation lands, wildlife and waterfowl refuges, and historic sites. The Secretary of Transportation shall cooperate and consult with the Secretaries of the Interior, Housing and Urban Development, and Agriculture, and with the States in developing transportation plans and programs that include measures to maintain or enhance the natural beauty of the lands traversed. After August 23, 1968, the Secretary shall not approve any program or project which requires the use of any publicly owned land from a public park, recreation area, or wildlife and waterfowl refuge of national, State or local significance as determined by the Federal, State, or local officials having jurisdiction thereof, or any land from an historic site of national, State, or local significance as so determined by such officials unless (1) there is no feasible and prudent alternative to the use of such land, and (2) such program includes all possible planning to minimize harm to such park, recreational area, wildlife and waterfowl refuge, or historic site resulting from such use. 17 (3) Section 102(2) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, which provides in pertinent part, that 16 18 all agencies of the Federal Government shall 19 (C) include in every recommendation or report on proposals for legislation and other major Federal actions significantly affecting the quality of the human environment, a detailed statement by the responsible official on-- 20 (i) the environmental impact of the proposed action, 21 (ii) any adverse environmental effects which cannot be avoided should the proposal be implemented, 22 (iii) alternatives to the proposed action, 23 (iv) the relationship between local short-term uses of man's environment and the maintenance and enhancement of long-term productivity, and 24 (v) any irreversible and irretrievable commitments of resources which would be involved in the proposed action should it be implemented. Prior to making any detailed statement, the responsible Federal official shall consult with and obtain the comments of any Federal agency which has jurisdiction by law or special expertise with respect to any environmental impact involved. Copies of such statement and the comments and views of the appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies, which are authorized to develop and enforce environmental standards, shall be made available to the President, the Council on Environmental Quality and to the public as provided by section 552 of Title 5, and shall accompany the proposal through the existing agency review processes; 25 It is these statutes which, through our judgment, we enforce herein.