Mountain Communities for Fire Safety v. Kevin Elliott

I. INTRODUCTION

This case concerns the sufficiency of the environmental review and analysis undertaken by the United States Forest Service prior to approving a proposed forest health and fire mitigation project in the Los Padres National Forest. Plaintiffs Mountain Communities for Fire Safety (“MCFS”), Los Padres Forestwatch (“LPFW”), and Earth Island Institute (“EIT”) claim that defendants Kevin Elliott, Forest Supervisor of the Los Padres National Forest, and the United States Forest Service (collectively, “the Forest Service’) failed to conduct the environmental analyses mandated by the National Environmental Policy Act (“NEPA”) ( U.S.C. §§ 4321 et seq.), and the National Forest Management Act (“NFMA”) (16 U.S.C. §§ 1600 et seq.) before approving the Cuddy Valley Forest Health and Fuels Reduction Project (the “Cuddy Valley Project’), which would remove trees from Mt. Pinos Place region of the Los Padres National Forest.

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

CIVIL MINUTES —- GENERAL ‘Oo? =—JS-6 No. 2:19-CV-6539-CAS-AFMx Date May 26, 2020 Title MOUNTAIN CMTYS. FOR FIRE…