Opinion ID: 720609
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Hard Look Inquiry

Text: 17 NEPA is a procedural statute. Its purpose is to ensure informed agency action. Oregon Envt'l Council v. Kunzman, 817 F.2d 484, 492 (9th Cir.1987). Accordingly, it requires only that the agency take a hard look at its decision, and not that environmental concerns trump all others. Robertson v. Methow Valley Citizens Council, 490 U.S. 332, 353, 109 S.Ct. 1835, 1847-48, 104 L.Ed.2d 351 (1989) (holding that NEPA requires neither that actions be taken to mitigate adverse effects of federal actions, nor that an EIS include an explanation of what measures will be employed to mitigate adverse environmental impacts). 18 ISC provides little support for its claim that information contained in the EISs is inaccurate. Moreover, while a number of its allegations about the accuracy of specific points in the EIS are belied by the record, this court need not fly-speck the document and hold it insufficient on the basis of inconsequential, technical deficiencies, but will instead employ a rule of reason to determine whether it contains a reasonably thorough discussion of the significant aspects of the probable environmental consequences. Oregon Envt'l Council, 817 F.2d at 492 (citations omitted). In this matter, it is clear that the Forest Service took the required hard look at the environmental consequences of the proposed timber harvests and sales. The Service examined the effect that the actions would have on the chinook salmon and determined that it was unlikely that the fish would be adversely affected, a finding in which the NMFS concurred. The Service also examined the effect of the proposed harvests and sales upon threatened, endangered and sensitive species. Both the Cove and Mallard EISs broadly describe the environments that would be affected by the proposed actions, and further include a comprehensive discussion of the impacts of the actions on recreational activities, visual quality, cultural resources, wilderness, and wildlife. In addition, both the EISs consider the cumulative impacts of the proposed activities, including the effects upon each of the two areas of the road construction and timber harvests occurring in the watersheds of the other. Cf. Oregon Natural Resources Council v. Marsh, 52 F.3d 1485 (9th Cir.1995) (holding that the Army Corps of Engineers violated NEPA by narrowly limiting scope of discussion of cumulative impacts). 19 Furthermore, the Forest Service discussed the impact of the projects on roads, trails, trailheads, fishing, hunting, commercial outfitting services, and snowmobile and off-highway wheeled vehicles. The consequences for sensitive species were also examined, as were those for big game indicator species such as the Rocky Mountain elk. The EISs also include analyses of old-growth and snag-dependent species and habitat, and consider the risk of mass wasting (landslide) that is posed by the timber harvest. 20 We are not prepared to hold that this fairly exhaustive discussion is inadequate, and we reject ISC's claims on this point. 21