36 C.F.R. P January 8, 2018 Lead Objector Sublette County Conservation District P.O. Box 647 1625 W. Pine St. Pinedale, WY
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PRE-DECISIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW AND OBJECTION PURSUANT TO 36 C.F.R. PART 218 January 8, 2018 OBJECTORS Lead Objector Upper Green River Cattlemen’s Association Sublette County Conservation District P.O. Box 335 P.O. Box 647 317 Price Todd Road 1625 W. Pine St. Daniel, WY 83115 Pinedale, WY 82941 P: (307) 360-7060 P: (307) 367-2257 Sublette County Commissioners Sommers Ranch, LLC P.O. Box 250 C/O Albert Sommers 21 S. Tyler 734 East Green River Road Pinedale, WY 82941 Pinedale, WY 82941 P: (307) 749-6154 P: (307) 360-7060 Wyoming Coalition of Local Governments 925 Sage Avenue, Suite 302 Kemmerer, WY 83101 P: (307) 877-2004 PROPOSED PROJECT Draft Record of Decision and Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Upper Green River Area Rangeland Project United States Department of Agriculture, U.S. Forest Service Pinedale Ranger District, Bridger-Teton National Forest RESPONSIBLE OFFICIAL Rob Hoelscher, District Ranger, Pinedale Ranger District REVIEWING OFFICER Patricia O’Connor, Forest Supervisor 340 N. Cache P.O. Box 1888 Jackson, Wyoming 83001 TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF AUTHORITIES ...................................................................... iv I. DESCRIPTION OF ASPECTS OF PROPOSED PROJECT ADDRESSED BY THE OBJECTION. 1 II. OBJECTION ISSUE 1: FORAGE UTILIZATION STANDARDS...........................1 A. Description of Aspects of Proposed Project and Specific Issues Related Thereto .................................................................1 B. Connection Statement. 2 C. ROD and FEIS Violate NFMA and the National Environmental Policy Act. 3 1. ROD Forces Reductions Without Analysis and Disclosure . 3 2. Forest Service Has Reduced Numbers and Denied Section 214 Review. 4 3. ROD is Not Consistent With BT-LRMP. 5 4. ROD Is Unlawful Amendment of BT-LRMP. 6 5. FEIS Does Not Support the Decision to Decrease Utilization . 7 6. ROD Combines Range Readiness With Utilization Limits.. 7 7. Amphibian Breeding Season Does Not Support Utilization Limits. 8 8. ROD Confuses Pasture and Allotment Utilization. 8 D. Suggested Remedies To Resolve the Objection. 9 E. Supporting Reasons for the Reviewing Officer to Consider. 9 III. OBJECTION ISSUE 2: 20% STREAM BANK ALTERATION STANDARD.. 10 A. Description of Aspects of Proposed Project and Specific Issues Related Thereto ................................................................10 B. Connection Statement. 10 C. Stream Bank Alteration Standards Inconsistent with BTLRMP and Adopted Without NEPA Compliance.. 10 1. BT-LRMP Does Not Contain Stream Bank Alteration Standards.. 10 2. Stream Bank Alteration Is Not A Management Standard. 12 3. Flawed Methodology Without Disclosure and Analysis Violates NEPA ..........................................................13 D. Suggested Remedies That Would Resolve the Objection. 14 E. Supporting Reasons for the Reviewing Officer to Consider. 14 IV. OBJECTION ISSUE 3: GROUND COVER OBJECTIVE...............................15 A. Description of Aspects of Proposed Project and Specific Issues Related Thereto ................................................................15 B. Connection Statement. 15 C. Ground Cover Objective Is Arbitrary and Capricious. 16 ~ i ~ 1. O’Brien Report Is Not Best Available Information On the Project Area ..........................................................16 2. ROD Does Not Adopt Conclusions of O’Brien Report.. 17 D. Suggested Remedies That Would Resolve the Objection. 18 E. Supporting Reasons for the Reviewing Officer to Consider. 18 V. OBJECTION ISSUE 4: SPECIES COMPOSITION OBJECTIVE. .........................19 A. Description of Aspects of Proposed Project and Specific Issues Related Thereto ................................................................19 B. Connection Statement. .............................................19 C. Species Composition Objective Is Arbitrary and Capricious. 19 1. FEIS Fails to Analyze and Disclose Impacts of Species Composition. 19 2. Forest Service Arbitrarily Defined Mid-Seral Plant Community. 20 3. Mid-Seral Status As Management Trigger is Arbitrary and Capricious ..........................................................21 D. Suggested Remedies That Would Resolve the Objection. 21 E. Supporting Reasons for the Reviewing Officer to Consider. 21 VI. OBJECTION ISSUE 5: TABLE 1 LIVESTOCK GRAZING STRATEGY FOR UPPER GREEN RIVER – MUD LAKE/FISH CREEK ROTATION..........................................21 A. Description of Aspects of Proposed Project and Specific Issues Related Thereto ................................................................21 B. Connection Statement. 22 C. Environmental Analysis and ROD Violates Law, Regulations, and Policy. 22 D. Suggested Remedies That Would Resolve the Objection .. 23 E. Supporting Reasons for the Reviewing Officer to Consider. 24 VII. OBJECTION ISSUE 6: UPPER GREEN ELK FEED GROUND STRAY CATTLE PRESCRIPTION ......................................................................24 A. Description of Aspects of Proposed Project and Specific Issues Related Thereto ................................................................24 B. Connection Statement. 24 C. Environmental Analysis and ROD Violates Law, Regulations, and Policy. 24 D. Suggested Remedies That Would Resolve the Objection. 25 E. Supporting Reasons for the Reviewing Officer to Consider. 25 VIII. OBJECTION ISSUE 7: WAGON CREEK FOCUS AREA ELECTRIC FENCE.. 25 A. Description of Aspects of Proposed Project and Specific Issues Related Thereto ................................................................25 B. Connection Statement. 26 C. Environmental Analysis and ROD Violates Law, Regulations, and Policy. 26 D. Suggested Remedies To Resolve the Objection . 27 E. Supporting Reasons for the Reviewing Officer to Consider. 27 ~ ii ~ IX. OBJECTION ISSUE 8: TEPEE CREEK PERMANENT FENCE...........................28 A. Description of Aspects of Proposed Project and Specific Issues Related Thereto ................................................................28 B. Connection Statement. 28 C. Environmental Analysis and ROD Violates Law, Regulations, and Policy . 29 D. Suggested Remedies That Would Resolve the Objection .. 29 E. Supporting Reasons for the Reviewing Officer to Consider. 30 X. OBJECTION ISSUE 9: 270 AUM REDUCTION ...................................30 A. Description of Aspects of Proposed Project and Specific Issues Related Thereto ................................................................30 B. Connection Statement. 30 C. Environmental Analysis and ROD Violates Law, Regulations, and Policy. 31 1. ROD Is Inconsistent With Local Plans, Policies, and Forest Plan.. 31 2. Allotment is Meeting Objectives and Reduction Is Arbitrary and Capricious. 32 D. Suggested Remedies That Would Resolve the Objection .. 33 XI. OBJECTION ISSUE 10: WOLF AND GRIZZLY DEPREDATIONS .......................33 A. Description of Aspects of Proposed Project and Specific Issues Related Thereto ................................................................33 B. Connection Statement. 33 C. Environmental Analysis and ROD Violates Law, Regulations, and Policy. 33 D. Suggested Remedies That Would Resolve the Objection. 34 XII. CONCLUSION AND RELIEF REQUESTED. ......................................34 ~ iii ~ TABLE OF AUTHORITIES FEDERAL CASES Alaska Ctr. For Environment v. U.S. Forest Service, 189 F.3d 851 (9th Cir. 1999). 23 All. for the Wild Rockies v. Pena, 865 F.3d 1211 (9th Cir. 2017).. 16 Balt. Gas and Elec. Company v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Incorporated, 462 U.S. 87 (1983).................................................................... 20 Bennett v. Spear, 520 U.S. 154 (1997). 13 Citizens’ Committee to Save Our Canyons v. U.S. Forest Service, 297 F.3d 1012 (10th Cir. 2002).................................................................... 12 Citizens’ Committee to Save Our Canyons v. Krieger, 513 F.3d 1169 (10th Cir. 2008).. 7 Ecology Ctr. v. Castaneda, 574 F.3d 652 (9th Cir.2009). 17 Greater Yellowstone Coalition., Incorporated v. Servheen, 665 F.3d 1015.. 11 Hewitt v. Helms, 459 U.S. 460 (1983), vacated on other grounds by Sandin v. Conner, 515 U.S. 472 (1995). 27, 29 Hunt v. Washington State Apple Advert. Commission, 432 U.S. 333 (U.S. 1977).. 3 Kern v. Bureau of Land Management, 284 F.3d 1062 (9th Cir. 2002).. 3, 3, 8, 19, 20 Lands Council v. Powell, 395 F.3d 1019 (9th Cir.2005). 13 Marble Mountain Audubon Society v. Rice, 914 F.2d 179 (9th Cir.1990). 29, 31, 31 McDonnell Douglas Corporation v. U.S. Department of the Air Force, 375 F.3d 1182 (D.C. Cir.2004). 29 Motor Vehicle Mfrs. Association v. State Farm Mutual Auto. Insurance Company, 463 U.S. 29 (1983).. 12, 21, 25, 27, 32 Native Ecosystems Council v. U.S. Forest Service, 418 F.3d 953 (9th Cir. 2005). 11, 13 Organized Village of Kake v. U.S. Department of Agric., 795 F.3d 956 (9th Cir. 2015). 29 Rocky Mountain Wild v. Vilsack, 843 F. Supp. 2d 1188 (D. Colo. 2012). 17 Rush Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Med. Ctr. v. Thompson, 362 F. Supp. 2d 25 (D.D.C. 2005). 21 Utah Envt’l Congressional v. Troyes, 479 F.3d 1269 (10th Cir. 2007). 5, 6 Western Org. of Resources Councils v. Bureau of Land Management, 591 F. Supp. 2d 1206 (D. Wyo. 2008), aff’d sub nom. BioDiversity Conservation All. v. Bureau of Land Management, 608 F.3d 709 (10th Cir. 2010). 3, 19 Western Watersheds Project v. U.S. Bureau of Land Management, No. 2015 WL 846548. 23 Watersheds Project v. Leaverston, No. 2011 WL 2415546. 23 ~ iv ~ WildEarth Guardians v. United States Bureau of Land Management, 870 F.3d 1222 (10th Cir. 2017).................................................................... 20 FEDERAL STATUTES 5 U.S.C. §706(2)(a). 7 16 U.S.C. §1604(i). 5, 32 REGULATIONS 36 C.F.R. § 219.10(a).. 5 36 C.F.R. § 219.15(d). 5, 10, 16 36 C.F.R. § 219.3.. 16 36 C.F.R. § 219.4(b). 32 36 C.F.R. § 219.7(e).. 5 36 C.F.R. §218.5. 3 36 C.F.R. §218.6(a). 1 36 C.F.R. §218.8(d)(5).. 1 36 C.F.R. §218.8(d)(6).. 1 36 C.F.R. §219.13. ..