Opinion ID: 172401
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Forest Park

Text: The last environmental analysis of the Forest Park feedground occurred in 1980. Under 40 C.F.R. § 1502.9(c), agencies [s]hall prepare supplements to either draft or final environmental impact statements if: (i) The agency makes substantial changes in the proposed action that are relevant to environmental concerns; or (ii) There are significant new circumstances or information relevant to environmental concerns and bearing on the proposed action or its impacts. The Supreme Court has addressed the issue of when an agency must undertake a supplemental environmental analysis in the context of relevant new information or circumstances. If there remains major Federal action to occur, and if the new information is sufficient to show that the remaining action will affect the quality of the human environment in a significant manner or to a significant extent not already considered, a supplemental [environmental analysis] must be prepared. Marsh v. Or. Natural Res. Council, 490 U.S. 360, 374, 109 S.Ct. 1851, 104 L.Ed.2d 377 (1989) (emphasis added) (quotations omitted). GYC contends circumstances have changed since the 1980 Forest Park environmental analysis as a result of the discovery of the brucellosis and chronic wasting disease threats at feedgrounds, and thus the Forest Service must undertake a supplemental analysis to address these changes. The Forest Service points out that the duty to supplement an environmental analysis under NEPA ends after the major federal action is completed, and alleges the major federal action here was completed when the permit was issued. According to GYC, however, the elk feeding activities constitute an ongoing major federal action under NEPA because the Forest Park permit states it may be amended in whole or in part by the Forest Service when, at the discretion of the authorized officer, such action is deemed necessary or desirable to incorporate new terms, conditions, and stipulations as may be required by law, regulation, land management plans, or other management decisions. In Norton v. Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance , the Supreme Court considered whether there was major federal action to occur or ongoing major federal action when allegedly new circumstances arose after BLM approved a land use plan for federal lands it administered in Utah. 542 U.S. 55, 72-73, 124 S.Ct. 2373, 159 L.Ed.2d 137 (2004). Generally, a land use plan describes, for a particular area, allowable uses, goals for future condition of the land, and specific next steps. Id. at 59, 124 S.Ct. 2373. After noting that the Secretary may issue management decisions to implement land use plans, the Court concluded there was no ongoing major federal action or major federal action to occur. Id. at 69, 73, 124 S.Ct. 2373 (quotation omitted). The Court distinguished an earlier case where it concluded a major federal action was not yet complete, explaining that in the earlier case: that condition was met: The dam construction project that gave rise to environmental review was not yet completed. Here, by contrast, although the  approval of a [land use plan] is a major Federal action requiring an EIS. . . that action is completed when the plan is approved. The land use plan is the proposed action contemplated by [NEPA]. There is no ongoing major Federal action that could require supplementation.... Id. at 73, 124 S.Ct. 2373 (discussing Marsh, 490 U.S. at 374, 109 S.Ct. 1851). Here, the Forest Service's approval and issuance of the Forest Park permit, like BLM's approval of the land use plan in Norton, was the major federal action contemplated by NEPA. Under Norton, that major federal action was completed when the permit was approved and issued. See also Cold Mountain v. Garber, 375 F.3d 884, 894 (9th Cir.2004) (concluding no supplemental analysis was required for a Bison-testing facility operated by the State of Montana on federal land pursuant to a Forest Service permit because the Forest Service's NEPA obligations ended when the permit was issued and approved). It is important to note the relevant NEPA provisions expressly apply only to federal action. 42 U.S.C. § 4332(C). Since issuance of the permit, the Forest Service has remained largely uninvolved in the operations of the feedground. That the Forest Service retains discretion to amend the permit does not alone lead to the conclusion there is ongoing major federal action or major federal action to occur. While the Forest Service could potentially amend the permit in such a manner as to constitute a major federal action, there is no allegation this has occurred. Because the State of Wyoming remains the only meaningful actor involved in the operation of the Forest Park feedground, there is no ongoing major federal action or major federal action to occur. Thus, the Forest Service's decision not to undertake an environmental analysis of the Forest Park feedground was not arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, or otherwise not in accordance with law. We therefore affirm the district court's denial of GYC's request to compel an environmental analysis of the Forest Park feedground.