Opinion ID: 576710
Heading Depth: 6
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: an access road to the Site.

Text: 43 Three possible constructions exist. First, Sierra Club argues that the language as to the issuance of a Special Use Authorization demonstrates that Congress deemed section 7 satisfied for purposes of issuing the special use authorization only. That argument makes no sense either practically or as a matter of linguistics. If Sierra Club were correct, then the project would be subject to the reinitiation of consultation on the day following the issuance of the special use authorization, even before the Secretary could immediately approve construction. The interpretation conflicts directly with the statutory requirement that the Secretary authorize immediate construction. Accordingly, we reject Sierra Club's reading of section 602(a). 44 There is a more reasonable variation of Sierra Club's argument which, although not raised by Sierra Club, should be considered. Section 602(a) could be read to deem section 7 satisfied as to both the issuance of the special use authorization and the Secretary's immediate approval of construction; however, if following the issuance of the Secretary's approval circumstances exist that warrant the reinitiation of consultation, then section 602(a) would not bar such action. Under this interpretation, section 602(a) would serve to expedite the first phase's pre-construction process by ensuring the issuance of both the special use authorization and the Secretary's approval, but would not prevent application of the regular environmental procedures during the remainder of that phase. 45 The final possible construction is that of the defendants: they argue that section 602(a) deems section 7 of the Endangered Species Act satisfied as to the entire first phase of the project. Under this interpretation, Congress intended that the first three telescopes be built and that section 7 be deemed complied with in order to achieve that goal. Factual circumstances that would otherwise trigger the reinitiation of consultation would not do so with respect to construction of the first three telescopes; the issue whether the first phase of construction may proceed has, in that view, already been resolved. 46 The basic question to be answered in interpreting section 602(a) is the following: Did Congress intend to waive the requirements of section 7 until after the construction of the first three telescopes was completed, or did it intend only to hasten the project through the stage of the Secretary's authorization but leave the actual construction process subject to further environmental consultation? The language of section 602(a) does not answer the question clearly. The reference to the issuance of a special use authorization renders the scope of the section 7 waiver ambiguous. In order to interpret section 602(a), we must examine the structure and history of the statute as well as its purpose. See Martin v. Occupational Safety & Health Review Comm'n, --- U.S. ----, 111 S.Ct. 1171, 1176, 113 L.Ed.2d 117 (1991); Pilot Life Ins. Co. v. Dedeaux, 481 U.S. 41, 51, 107 S.Ct. 1549, 1554, 95 L.Ed.2d 39 (1987) ([i]n expounding a statute, we must not be guided by a single sentence or member of a sentence, but look to the provisions of the whole law, and to its object and policy) (quoting, inter alia, Kelly v. Robinson, 479 U.S. 36, 43, 107 S.Ct. 353, 357, 93 L.Ed.2d 216 (1986)). 47