Ausable Manistee Action Council, Inc. v. Stump

883 F. Supp. 1112, 26 Envtl. L. Rep. (Envtl. Law Inst.) 20352, 1995 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5013, 1995 WL 230536
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Michigan
DecidedMarch 31, 1995
DocketNo. 1:94-CV-500
StatusPublished

This text of 883 F. Supp. 1112 (Ausable Manistee Action Council, Inc. v. Stump) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Michigan primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Ausable Manistee Action Council, Inc. v. Stump, 883 F. Supp. 1112, 26 Envtl. L. Rep. (Envtl. Law Inst.) 20352, 1995 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5013, 1995 WL 230536 (W.D. Mich. 1995).

Opinion

[1116]*1116OPINION

McKEAGUE, District Judge.

This case presents a challenge to the administrative decision of the United States Army, the National Guard Bureau, and the Michigan Department of Military Affairs (hereinafter collectively referred to as the “agency” or “defendants”) to construct a Multi-Purpose Range Complex-Heavy-Reduced (“MPRC”) at the Camp Grayling Army National Guard Training Facility. The specific legal basis for plaintiffs’ challenge is their allegation that defendants have violated the National Environmental Policy Act (“NEPA”), 42 U.S.C. § 4321 et seq., and its implementing regulations in two ways: the alleged failure to adequately consider certain environmental impacts in the Final Environmental Impact Statement (“FEIS”); and failure to supplement the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (“DEIS”) when allegedly material changes occurred subsequent to issuance of the DEIS.

Now before the Court are the parties’ cross-motions: plaintiffs ask the Court to declare defendants’ actions violative of NEPA and enjoin construction of the MPRC at Camp Grayling until defendants fully comply with the statute and its regulations; defendants ask the Court to affirm the agency’s compliance with NEPA and allow the agency to implement its decision.

I

This case concerns the agency’s decision to construct an MPRC at Camp Grayling, Michigan. The proposed site for the MPRC is at an existing tank range at Camp Grayling, specifically Range 30.1 The proposed MPRC is designed to replace the World War II era tank and gunnery ranges presently in use at Camp Grayling. The agency’s decision to build the MPRC is based on its conclusion that it is necessary “to meet the current training needs of the units that currently train at Grayling.” Federal defendants’ brief in support, p. 5.2

Plaintiffs’ initial complaint in this matter was filed on July 22, 1994.3 On August 19, 1994, plaintiffs filed a motion for temporary restraining order (TRO) and preliminary injunction, requesting the Court to enjoin the letting of a contract for construction and the actual construction itself of the proposed MPRC at Camp Grayling. A conference call among all parties was initially conducted that same day, and was continued on Monday, August 22, 1994, at which time the state defendants assured plaintiffs’ attorney that the contracting agent for this proposed project, DMA, would not enter into a contract for construction of the MPRC before a hearing was held on plaintiffs’ motion for preliminary injunction. Based on that assurance, plaintiffs agreed not to pursue their TRO request, and that motion was formally denied by written order of the Court entered on August 23,1994. The order also scheduled a hearing on September 22,1994, to hear arguments on plaintiffs’ motion for preliminary injunction.

At the September 22, 1994 hearing, the Court denied plaintiffs’ preliminary injunction request from the bench. This denial subsequently was reduced to a written opinion that was filed on September 29, 1994.

The administrative record compiled during the decisionmaking process was filed with the Court on October 21, 1994. This record comprises 59 volumes totalling nearly 26,000 pages. The record also includes the DEIS, the FEIS, and the Record of Decision (ROD). On October 7,1994, plaintiffs filed a request to submit additional evidence into the administrative record. In a written opinion and order filed on November 15, 1994, [1117]*1117the Court denied plaintiffs’ request to submit additional evidence. The Court found plaintiffs’ proffer of additional evidence to be cumulative, untimely, or simply inappropriate, and generally unnecessary for determination of the adequacy of the agency’s decision.

On November 23, 1994, defendants filed motions 4 seeking summary judgment of their compliance with NEPA and affirmance of the decision to build an MPEC at Camp Grayl-ing. On December 2, 1994, plaintiffs filed their motion requesting summary judgment that the agency violated NEPA and enjoinment of any construction related to the MPRC until compliance is effected. Oral arguments on the cross-motions were heard on February 3, 1995, and the motions were taken under advisement.

At the hearing, the parties expressed their opinions that it would be advantageous for the Court to physically inspect an actual MPEC and the proposed construction site at Camp Grayling. Accordingly, on February 23, 1995, the Court observed a live training exercise at the MPEC at Ft. Knox, Kentucky. The Court then traveled to Camp Grayling, Michigan, and inspected the proposed construction site for the MPEC there. The Court’s inspection at Camp Grayling was done both on the ground and from a helicopter.

The Court was accompanied on this inspection tour by attorneys for all parties, two of the named defendants, and two representatives from the plaintiff environmental groups. The inspection group received briefings at both facilities and had full access to site personnel for asking questions.

The Court considers the inspection to have been extremely useful in providing real-world context and understanding for its review of the agency decision being challenged in this case.

II

Adjudication of this matter is controlled by NEPA, a statute that has a dual purpose: consideration by the agency of significant aspects of the environmental impact of a proposed action, and assurance to the public that the agency “has indeed considered environmental concerns in its decision-making process.” Baltimore Gas & Electric Co. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc., 462 U.S. 87, 97, 103 S.Ct. 2246, 2252, 76 L.Ed.2d 437 (1983) (citations omitted). “NEPA itself does not mandate particular results, but simply prescribes the necessary process.” Robertson v. Methow Valley Citizens Council, 490 U.S. 332, 350, 109 S.Ct. 1835, 1846, 104 L.Ed.2d 351 (1989) (citations omitted). The statute “merely prohibits uninformed — rather than unwise — agency action.” Id. at 351, 109 S.Ct. at 1846. “Congress in enacting NEPA ... did not require agencies to elevate environmental concerns over other appropriate considerations. Eather, it required only that the agency take a ‘hard look’ at the environmental consequences before taking a major action.” Baltimore Gas & Elec., 462 U.S. at 97, 103 S.Ct. at 2252 (citations omitted).

NEPA, unlike many environmental statutes, does not dictate agency policy or determine the fate of contemplated action. NEPA simply mandates a particular process that must be followed by a federal agency before taking action significantly affecting the human environment. After weighing environmental considerations, an agency decisionmaker remains free to subordinate the environmental concerns revealed in the EIS to other policy concerns.

Environmental Defense Fund, Inc. v. Massey, 986 F.2d 528, 532 (D.C.Cir.1993) (citations omitted).

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883 F. Supp. 1112, 26 Envtl. L. Rep. (Envtl. Law Inst.) 20352, 1995 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5013, 1995 WL 230536, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ausable-manistee-action-council-inc-v-stump-miwd-1995.