Opinion ID: 775852
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Judicial Review of Agency Action

Text: 11 Judicial review of administrative decisions involving the ESA is governed by section 706 of the APA. 5 U.S.C. §§ 706; Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe of Indians v. U.S. Dep't of the Navy, 898 F.2d 1410, 1414 (9th Cir. 1990). Under section 706, the reviewing court must determine that agency decisions are not arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, or otherwise not in accordance with law. 5 U.S.C.§§ 706(2)(A); Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe of Indians, 898 F.2d at 1414. The arbitrary and capricious test is a narrow scope of review of agency factfinding. Abbott Labs., Inc. v. Gardner, 387 U.S. 136 (1967). 12 To determine whether an agency violated the arbitrary and capricious standard, this court must determine whether the agency articulated a rational connection between the facts found and the choice made. Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe of Indians, 898 F.2d at 1414 (citing Friends of Endangered Species, Inc. v. Jantzen, 760 F.2d 976, 982 (9th Cir. 1985)). The court is not empowered to substitute its judgment for that of the agency. Citizens to Preserve Overton Park, Inc. v. Volpe, 401 U.S. 402, 416 (1971). As long as the agency decision was based on a consideration of relevant factors and there is no clear error of judgment, the reviewing court may not overturn the agency's action as arbitrary and capricious. Amer. Hosp. Ass'n v. NLRB, 499 U.S. 606 (1991); Citizens to Preserve Overton Park, Inc., 401 U.S. at 402 (1971). The basis for the decision, however, must come from the agency. The reviewing court may not substitute reasons for agency action that are not in the record. See Camp v. Pitts, 411 U.S. 138, 142 (1973) ([T]he focal point for judicial review is the administrative record in existence . . . .). 13 We are deferential to the agency's expertise in situations, like that here, where resolution of this dispute involves primarily issues of fact. Marsh v. Or. Natural Res. Council, 490 U.S. 360, 377 (1989) (Because analysis of the relevant documents `requires a high level of technical expertise,' we must defer to the informed discretion of the responsible federal agencies.) (citations omitted). Deference is particularly important when the agency is `making predictions, within its area of special expertise, at the frontiers of science.'  Central Ariz. Water Conservation Dist. v. EPA, 990 F.2d 1531, 1539-40 (9th Cir. 1993) (quoting Balt. Gas & Elec. Co. v. Natural Res. Def. Council, Inc., 462 U.S. 87, 103 (1983)). Therefore, the reviewing court may set aside only those conclusions that do not have a basis in fact, not those with which it disagrees. Bureau of Indian Affairs v. FLRA, 887 F.2d 172, 176 (9th Cir. 1989); Love v. Thomas, 858 F.2d 1347 (9th Cir. 1988). 14 Judicial review is meaningless, however, unless we carefully review the record to ensure that agency decisions are founded on a reasoned evaluation of the relevant factors. Marsh, 490 U.S. at 378. Accordingly, while reviewing courts should uphold reasonable and defensible constructions of an agency's enabling act, cf. NLRB v. Local 103, Int'l Ass'n of Bridge, Structural & Ornamental Iron Workers, 434 U.S. 335, 350 (1978) (NLRA construction), they must notrubberstamp . . . administrative decisions that they deem inconsistent with a statutory mandate or that frustrate the congressional policy underlying a statute. NLRB v. Brown , 380 U.S. 278, 291-92 (1965). 15