Opinion ID: 582731
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Applicability of NEPA to the State Defendants.

Text: 21 The State defendants urge us to dismiss the Fund's NEPA claims because the statute applies only to agencies of the Federal Government. 42 U.S.C. § 4332. Nonfederal defendants may be enjoined if federal and state projects are sufficiently interrelated to constitute a single 'federal action' for NEPA purposes. Friends of the Earth, Inc. v. Coleman, 518 F.2d 323, 329 (9th Cir.1975). For example, we have held that a nonfederal actor that receives federal financial assistance may be enjoined for failing to comply with NEPA. Homeowners Emergency Life Protection Comm. v. Lynn, 541 F.2d 814, 818 (9th Cir.1976). In addition, a nonfederal actor that enters into a partnership or joint venture whereby the federal government provides goods, services, or financing may be enjoined from violating NEPA. Macht v. Skinner, 916 F.2d 13, 20 (D.C.Cir.1990); see Sierra Club v. Hodel, 544 F.2d 1036, 1044 (9th Cir.1976) (allowing construction of a magnesium plant by nonfederal defendant to be enjoined because the nonfederal defendant agreed that a federal agency would construct a transmission line and supply power to the plant). Nonfederal actors may also be enjoined under NEPA if their proposed action cannot proceed without the prior approval of a federal agency. See Found. on Economic Trends v. Heckler, 756 F.2d 143, 155 (D.C.Cir.1985) (holding that federal court could enjoin nonfederal actor where the nonfederal action cannot lawfully begin or continue without the prior approval of a federal agency); see also Biderman v. Morton, 497 F.2d 1141, 1147 (2nd Cir.1974) (holding that where nonfederal action cannot lawfully begin or continue without the prior approval of a federal agency, nonfederal actor may be enjoined under NEPA). 22 State actors may not be enjoined under NEPA simply because a state project involves major federal action. Macht, 916 F.2d at 18. Allowing nonfederal actors to be enjoined for NEPA violations undermine[s] the autonomy left by NEPA to state and local officials. Friends of the Earth, 518 F.2d at 329. 23 In this matter, the State of Montana has not received federal financial support to hunt and kill northern herd bison. Montana has not entered into a partnership or joint venture that involves the receipt of goods or services from a federal agency. Bison are not a threatened or endangered species protected by the Endangered Species Act, 16 U.S.C. § 1531 et seq. Therefore, federal approval to kill bison on state lands is not required. The record shows that Montana hunters have been killing a significant number of bison within that state's boundaries for many years. 24 An injunction against the State defendants for a NEPA violation under the circumstances presented in this matter would be inequitable. After independently managing the bison problem within its boundaries for a number of years, Montana has voluntarily agreed to cooperate with the federal government in a plan that limits the number of northern herd bison that will be killed. Montana should not be penalized for consenting to participate in a plan designed to limit the killing of northern herd bison. 25