Benson

MEMORANDUM DECISION AND ORDER RE: CROSS-MOTIONS FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT (DOCS. 47 & 55)

I. INTRODUCTION

Plaintiff Sequoia ForestKeeper (“For-estKeeper”) challenges the United States Forest Service’s (“Forest Service”) Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact (“Decision Notice”) for the Hume Roadside and Recreation Site Hazard Tree Project (“Hume Hazard Tree Project” or “Project”) in the Giant Sequoia National Monument (“the Monument”) under the National Environmental Policy Act (“NEPA”), 42 U.S.C. §§ 4321 et seq., the National Forest Management Act (“NFMA”), 16 U.S.C. §§ 1600 et seq., and the Administrative Procedure Act (“APA”), 5 U.S.C. § 706 (2). Plaintiff also alleges that elements of the Giant Sequoia National Monument Management Plan (“Monument Management Plan”) contravene the Proclamation (“Monument Proclamation”) which established the Monument.

II. BACKGROUND OF THE CASE

In September 2013, the Forest Service issued a Decision Notice, Hume0176-l90, 1 authorizing the implementation of the Hume Hazard Tree Project, and adopting Alternative D from the Project’s Final Environmental Assessment (“EA”), Hume0191-357. Alternative D proposed the felling of hazard trees…