Opinion ID: 451608
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Standard of Review--Administrative Decisions Under the ESA

Text: 21 Section 706 of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), 5 U.S.C. Sec. 706 (1982), governs review of the Service's actions concerning the ESA. Village of False Pass v. Clark, 733 F.2d 605, 609 (9th Cir.1984) (citing Cabinet Mountains Wilderness/Scotchman's Peak Grizzly Bears v. Peterson, 685 F.2d 678, 685 (D.C.Cir.1982) ). 22 Under the APA, the appropriate standard of review for administrative decisions involving the ESA is the arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, or otherwise not in accordance with law standard. 5 U.S.C. Sec. 706(2)(A). 5 See also Village of False Pass, 733 F.2d at 609-610. Under this standard, administrative action is upheld if the agency has considered the relevant factors and articulated a rational connection between the facts found and the choice made. Baltimore Gas & Electric Co. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc., 462 U.S. 87, 105, 103 S.Ct. 2246, 2257, 76 L.Ed.2d 437 (1983) (citation omitted). We review the district court's granting of summary judgment de novo. And in doing so, we need to determine whether appellant raised a genuine issue of material fact as to whether the Service acted arbitrarily and capriciously in issuing the Permit under the ESA. 23