Opinion ID: 3050627
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Improper Post-Hoc Decision-Making

Text: [3] The Department of the Interior and the Forest Service inappropriately decided to establish a categorical exclusion for hazardous fuels reduction before conducting the data call. In requesting the data call, the Deputy Chief of the Forest Service stated that the Forest Service “intend[s] to put this information to good use supporting a categorical exclusion for fuels treatment, rehab and salvage.” Post-hoc examination of data to support a pre-determined conclusion is not permissible because “[t]his would frustrate the fundamental purpose of NEPA, which is to ensure that federal agencies take a ‘hard look’ at the environmental consequences of their actions, early enough so that it can serve as an important contribution to the decision making process.” California v. Norton, 311 F.3d 1162, 1175 (9th Cir. 2002) (citation omitted). “[P]ostdecision information [ ] may not be advanced as a new ratioSIERRA CLUB v. BOSWORTH 15947 nalization either for sustaining or attacking an agency’s decision.” Sw. Ctr. for Biological Diversity v. U.S. Forest Serv., 100 F.3d 1443, 1450 (9th Cir. 1996). Moreover, the Forest Service failed to engage in the required “scoping process” prior to establishment of the categorical exclusion in order to “ ‘determine the scope of the issues to be addressed and for identifying the significant issues related to a proposed action.’ ” Alaska Ctr., 189 F.3d at 858 (quoting 40 C.F.R. § 1501.7); see also FSH § 1909.15, ch. 30.3. In determining the “scope” of a proposed project, the responsible Forest Service officer is required to consider the cumulative impacts of connected, cumulative, and similar actions, and is required to produce an EA if the proposed project may have a significant effect on the environment. See FSH § 1909.15, ch. 30.3; 40 C.F.R. § 1508.25(a)(3). [4] As the CEQ regulations state, NEPA procedures constitute the framework decisional process, and “NEPA’s purpose is not to generate paperwork—even excellent paperwork—but to foster excellent action.” 40 C.F.R. § 1500.1(c). The determination that a categorical exclusion was the proper path to take should have taken place after scoping, reviewing the data call, and determining that the proposed actions did not have individually or cumulatively significant impacts.