Native Ecosystems Council v. Krueger

63 F. Supp. 3d 1246, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 171095, 2014 WL 6844830
CourtDistrict Court, D. Montana
DecidedDecember 5, 2014
DocketNo. CV-13-64-GF-BMM
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 63 F. Supp. 3d 1246 (Native Ecosystems Council v. Krueger) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Montana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

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Native Ecosystems Council v. Krueger, 63 F. Supp. 3d 1246, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 171095, 2014 WL 6844830 (D. Mont. 2014).

Opinion

ORDER

BRIAN MORRIS, District Judge.

INTRODUCTION

Plaintiffs challenge the Lonesome Wood II Project in the Gallatin National Forest. The Project involves commercial logging of 1,750 acres, including 495 acres of old growth forest, and an additional 825 acres of potentially commercial logging. The Project also involves 325 acres of slash and/or prescribed burning.

Plaintiffs raise multiple claims concerm ing the Project’s potential violations of the National Forest Management Act, 16 U.S.C. § 1600 et seq., the Endangered Species Act, 16 U.S.C. § 1531 et seq., and the National Environmental Policy Act, 42 U.S.C. § 4331 et seq. These claims involve potential adverse effects to the grizzly bear, the Canada lynx, and the wolverine.

The parties have submitted cross motions for summary judgment. The Court grants partial summary judgment in favor of Plaintiffs on the adequacy of the biological opinions with regards to the grizzly bear and the Canada lynx. The Court grants summary judgment in favor of Defendants on all other issues.

STANDARD

A party is entitled to summary judgment if it can demonstrate that “there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(a). This Court will grant summary judgment where the documentary evidence produced by the parties permits only one conclusion. Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 250, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986). Only disputes over facts that might affect the outcome of the lawsuit will preclude entry of summary judgment. Factual disputes that are irrelevant or unnecessary to the outcome are not considered. Anderson, 477 U.S. at 247-48, 106 S.Ct. 2505.

ANALYSIS

The Administrative Procedure Act authorizes a federal court to review a final agency action. Ariz. Cattle Growers’ Ass’n v. U.S. Fish & Wildlife, Bureau of Land Mgmt., 273 F.3d 1229, 1235 (9th Cir.2001). Pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act, the Court may “hold unlawful and set aside agency action, findings, and conclusions” that are arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, or otherwise not in accordance with law. 5 U.S.C. § 706(2)(A).

[1250]*1250 1. Endangered Species Act: Biological Opinions

The Forest Service determined in its biological assessment that the Project likely would affect adversely both grizzly bears and Canada lynx. This determination prompted the Forest Service to initiate formal consultation with the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), as required by 50 C.F.R. § 402.14. The regulations require FWS to prepare a biological opinion in response to this formal consultation request. § 402.14(g). The biological opinion must include a detailed discussion of the effects of the action. The biological opinion also must opine as to whether the action likely would jeopardize the continued existence of a listed species. § 402.14(h). FWS’s issuance of a biological opinion terminates formal consultation. § 402.14(i).

FWS conducted no new biological opinion to consider the Project’s impacts on the grizzly bear or Canada lynx. FWS instead responded with a “confirmation letter” to the Forest Service’s request for formal consultation. In this letter,' FWS determined that previous biological opinions had analyzed the potential effects of the Project. The “confirmation letter” stated that the 2006 Travel Plan Biological Opinion had analyzed fully the effects to the grizzly bear. The “confirmation letter” further stated that the 2007 Northern Rocky Mountains Lynx Amendment (Lynx Direction) Biological Opinion had analyzed fully the effects to the Canada lynx. This determination prompted FWS to decline to conduct a new biological opinion for either the grizzly bear or the Canada lynx.

a. Tiered Biological Opinions

FWS argues that the Endangered Species Act permits “tiering” of biological opinions. FWS argues that it properly tiered its biological opinions. Plaintiffs do not challenge FWS’s ability generally to “tier” biological opinions under the Endangered Species Act. Plaintiffs argue, however, that FWS did not properly tier the biological opinions here.

FWS references a first-tier, programmatic biological opinion in a second-tier biological opinion. See, e.g., Gifford Pinchot Task Force v. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Serv., 378 F.3d 1059, 1068 (9th Cir.) amended sub nom. Gifford Pinchot Task Force v. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Serv., 387 F.3d 968 (9th Cir.2004). This reference allows FWS to avoid repeating the analysis from the first-tier biological opinion. Gifford, 378 F.3d at 1068. FWS conducted no second biological opinion here. FWS instead stated in the “confirmation letter” that the first biological opinion had been sufficient. The Court agrees with Plaintiffs that FWS failed to “tier” biological opinions. The Court must consider whether the Endangered Species Act requires a second biological opinion, or whether the 2006 Travel Plan Biological Opinion and 2007 Lynx Direction Biological Opinion adequately had analyzed the Project’s potential impacts on grizzly bears and Canada lynx.

b. 2006 Travel Plan Biological Opinion

The Project includes the creation and use of roads on a temporary basis. Grizzly bears avoid roads. FWS contends that this issue of road access represents the only possible adverse impact to the grizzly bear from the Project. FWS argues that the 2006 Travel Plan Biological Opinion had analyzed fully the road access issues. FWS argues that it would have been needlessly duplicative to require FWS to conduct a new biological opinion that merely restated the 2006 Travel Plan Biological Opinion.

Section 402.14(h)(3) requires a biological opinion to include a jeopardy analysis. [1251]*1251FWS conducted no written analysis on whether the Project will jeopardize the grizzly bear. FWS contends that the 2006 Biological Opinion fully analyzed the issue of road access. FWS argues that the jeopardy decision made within the 2006 Biological Opinion may be extended to the Project.

The Ninth Circuit considered whether FWS could rely on a previously conducted biological opinion in making its jeopardy determination in Gifford, 378 F.3d at 1068. There FWS first conducted a biological opinion for a National Forest Plan. The Forest Service detailed a method to conserve spotted owls as part of the National Forest Plan.

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63 F. Supp. 3d 1246, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 171095, 2014 WL 6844830, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/native-ecosystems-council-v-krueger-mtd-2014.