Opinion ID: 335494
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Trespass Cases.

Text: 23 The defendants in the trespass cases contend that the closure orders, the violation of which constituted the trespass, were invalid because a Forest Supervisor has no authority to issue such orders. The Government relies on 36 C.F.R. § 251.25 7 to establish the Supervisor's authority: 24 Occupancy and use of national forest land shall be permitted only upon compliance with reasonable conditions for the protection and administration of the national forests and resources and the promotion of public health, welfare, safety, or convenience. Public notices shall be posted by the Forest Supervisor in such locations as will reasonably bring them to the attention of the public, setting forth such conditions with respect to any areas on which special restrictions should be imposed. A copy of the conditions shall be kept available to the public in the offices of the Ranger and Supervisor. 25 On its face, section 251.25 neither confirms nor denies the authority of a Forest Supervisor to issue closure orders. 26 Other Forest Service regulations promulgated by the Secretary of Agriculture, however, clearly indicate that only the most limited closure power has been delegated to Supervisors. The regulations include express authorization for seven different types of closure. In all but one instance, the closure authority is specifically granted to the Chief of the Forest Service or to the Regional Foresters. 8 None of the closure regulations provides for a further delegation of the authority. Thus, the Chief is authorized to close roads . . . to all vehicle use or to use by certain classes of vehicles. (§ 212.7(a)(3)); and to close areas (1) for the protection of rare species, special biological communities, and historical or archeological places of interest and (2) for scientific experiments or other purposes requiring controlled use (§ 261.11(i)). The Regional Foresters have the authority to close or otherwise restrict use of areas because of fire hazards (§ 261.2(e)(h) (i)(k)(m)(n)); to close areas to cross-country vehicular travel (§ 261.4(i)); to close areas because of dangers from infectious animal diseases (§ 261.11(f)); and to close any area to prevent destruction to property (§ 261.11(k)). 27 The only exception to the specificity with which the Secretary has assigned the closure power is a 1973 amendment to the regulations which prohibits: 28 Entering or using a site or a portion of a site closed to public use. Notices establishing closure shall be posed (sic) in such location as will reasonably bring them to the attention of the public. (§ 291.7(b).) 29 Even if we assume that this prohibition impliedly authorizes a Supervisor to order site closure, the power is limited. It is applicable only to recreation sites and areas of concentrated use (§ 291.2(a)-(d)), and is, therefore, consistent with the careful division of authority established by the other closure regulations. 30 In light of the Secretary's detailed delegation of the closure power, section 251.25 must be narrowly construed. The section is a grant of residual authority to assure that officials in the Forest Service bureaucracy can effectively perform the functions assigned to them. It fulfills its purpose and is easily reconciled with the other regulations if the scope of the authority it grants to Forest Supervisors is limited to actions and areas of concern assigned to them elsewhere in the regulations. Because only the most limited closure power is even arguably within the range of authority given to Forest Supervisors, section 251.25 cannot be construed as a broad, implicit grant of power to close large areas of a national forest. Absent an explicit delegation from the Secretary, the boundaries of the Forest Supervisors' authority should not be extended into areas the regulations have clearly reserved for higher officials. 9 31 Our construction of section 251.25 should not hinder the Forest Service's effective administration of national forests. In these trespass cases, the Supervisor could have posted restrictions against interfering with lawful logging operations, thus creating a violation for interference, but not for mere entry into the logging area. If the restriction proved ineffective, the Supervisor could have notified the Regional Forester and requested that a closure order be issued. 32 By immediately closing the entire area, the Supervisor went beyond the limits of his authority and exercised a power that had not been granted to him. The closure orders were invalid and the trespass convictions cannot stand. Because of our view that the Forest Supervisor had no authority to issue the closure orders, we do not reach the appellants' First and Sixth Amendment claims. 33 The theft convictions are affirmed and the trespass convictions are reversed.