Opinion ID: 342297
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Environmental Policy Considerations.

Text: 30 NEPA specifically contemplates that the administrative decisionmaking process will be burdened by the procedural requirements of § 102(2)(C), and that the product which the agency delivers will be diminished somewhat in order to accommodate environmental goals. Therefore, as long as some environmental harm can still be ameliorated, compliance with NEPA will generally be ordered. When, however, the irreversible commitment of resources has already produced most of the environmental harm which an EIS would have anticipated, the costs-benefits matrix facing the decisionmaker is significantly altered, and the marginal utility (in environmental benefit) of enjoining the project may be substantially lessened. See generally Arlington Coalition of Transportation v. Volpe, 458 F.2d 1323, 1329-30 (4th Cir.), cert. denied, 409 U.S. 1000, 93 S.Ct. 312, 34 L.Ed.2d 261 (1972). This is more likely when the district court finds that although the agency has not fully complied with NEPA, it has identified and considered the major environmental hazards. In this situation the marginal environmental protection afforded by an injunction will be lessened to the extent that forcing full procedural compliance with NEPA is unlikely to alter the substantive decision so as to produce environmental benefits. Cf., Conservation Society of Southern Vermont, supra at 933-34 & n.26. 31 In the case sub judice, the district court found that suit was filed 21/2 years after the public announcement of the realignment at a time when the relocation was between 85 to 90% completed. At that time, plaintiffs sought to enjoin relocation of the remaining 10 to 15% pending preparation of an EIS. The court calculated the cost to DOD of granting the injunction to be $6.5 million. Moreover, the court found the injunction would disrupt the training of military technicians for the Defense Satellite Communications System which, if uncompensated, would leave the program seriously undermanned, affecting national defense. The court apparently considered whether an injunction would likely produce environmental benefits, for it found that DOD, in the course of its studies, considered in great detail the impact of the realignment and has attempted to compensate for the economic and social effect of the Signal School movement. 32 We are satisfied that the court made the findings necessary to a correct evaluation and considered the appropriate criteria. The fact that environmental factors already had been considered carefully made it unlikely that forcing full procedural compliance after the project was nearly complete would affect the shape of the relocation program and produce environmental benefits. At the time of suit, there had been an irreversible commitment of secondary resources and an injunction would seriously disrupt the School's mission and potentially threaten national defense. It was not an abuse of discretion for the district court to withhold equitable relief after carefully weighing these factors. 33 Plaintiffs argue that DOD improperly withheld information which prevented a more timely evaluation and legal reaction to the announced realignment. However, they cite us to no record basis for their contention. Their argument that the remaining elements of the School are capable of autonomous existence conflicts with the court's finding that substantial disruption and cost would result from even a temporary freeze, a finding which plaintiffs have not assailed as clearly erroneous. 34 In view of our disposition of the case, we need not consider the alternative basis for the result reached in the district court's opinion. 5 35 It is ordered that so much of the order of the district court denying the application of plaintiffs, Shiffler, National Federation of Federal Employees, Local No. 476 and Howard for injunctive relief and granting defendants' motion for summary judgment with respect to the above named plaintiffs is hereby affirmed. Each party is to bear his own costs on appeal.