Opinion ID: 198660
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Judicial Review of the Administrative Agency's Action

Text: 15 Judicial review of a federal agency's compliance with NEPA is governed by section 10 of the Administrative Procedure Act (the APA), 5 U.S.C. § 706(2)(A). See Sierra Club v. Marsh, 976 F.2d 763, 769 (1st Cir. 1992) (Sierra Club II) (citing Marsh v. Oregon Natural Resources Council, 490 U.S. 360, 375 (1989)). Under that section, the reviewing court shall hold unlawful and set aside agency action, findings, and conclusions found to be arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, or otherwise not in accordance with law. 5 U.S.C. § 706(2)(A); see Sierra Club II, 976 F.2d at 769. The task of a court reviewing agency action under the APA's 'arbitrary and capricious' standard is to determine whether the agency has examined the pertinent evidence, considered the relevant factors, and 'articulate[d] a satisfactory explanation for its action including a rational connection between the facts found and the choice made.' Penobscot Air Servs., Ltd. v. Federal Aviation Admin., 164 F.3d 713, 719 (1st Cir. 1999) (citing Motor Vehicle Mfrs. Ass'n v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 463 U.S. 29, 43 (1983) (citation and internal quotation marks omitted)). The reviewing court must determine whether the decision was based on a consideration of the relevant factors and whether the agency made a clear error of judgment. See Oregon Natural Resources Council, 490 U.S. at 378 (citing Citizens to Preserve Overton Park, Inc. v. Volpe, 401 U.S. 402, 416 (1971), overruled on unrelated grounds by Califano v. Sanders, 430 U.S. 99, 105 (1977)); DuBois v. United States Dep't of Agric., 102 F.3d 1273, 1285 (1st Cir. 1996), cert. denied, 521 U.S. 1119 (1997). 16 While this is a highly deferential standard of review, it is not a rubber stamp. See Citizens Awareness Network, Inc. v. United States Nuclear Regulatory Comm'n, 59 F.3d 284, 290 (1st Cir. 1995). The reviewing court must undertake a thorough, probing, in-depth review and a searching and careful inquiry into the record. Volpe, 401 U.S. at 415-16. Only by carefully reviewing the record and satisfying itself that the agency has made a rational decision can the court ensure that agency decisions are founded on a reasoned evaluation of the relevant factors. See Oregon Natural Resources Council, 490 U.S. at 378; Penobscot Air Servs., 164 F.3d at 720. 17