---
title: Court Finds Forest Service Permittee’s Master Development Plan Did Not Require NEPA Analysis
description: A court recently found that the Forest Service’s approval of a special use permittee’s master development plan (MDP) was not a final decision that required any NEPA analysis. The court’s conclusion was based on its determination that approval of the MDP did not commit the Forest Service to allow any of the development proposed under […]
---
[Skip to main content](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden/court-finds-forest-service-permittees-master-development-plan-did-not-require-nepa-analysis#main)
[   ](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com)
- Show submenu for About Garden Law About Garden Law
- [About the Garden Law Firm and Kevin](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/about)
- [Bars, Courts, & Cases](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/garden-law-bars-courts-and-cases)
- Show submenu for Practice Areas Practice Areas
- [Concessioners, Guides, & Outfitters](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/legal-assistance-for-concessioners-guides-and-outfitters-on-federal-land)
- [Federal Land Use Issues](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/federal-land-use-issues)
- [Government Contracts & Bid Protests](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/government-contracts-bid-protests)
- Show submenu for DIY Legal Resources DIY Legal Resources
- [Garden Law Resource Center](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/garden-law-resource-center)
- [The Concessioners Toolbox](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/the-concessioners-toolbox-diy-legal-resources-for-concessioners)
- [From The Garden Blog](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden)
Open main navigation
Close main navigation
- Show submenu for About Garden Law About Garden Law
- About Garden Law
- [About the Garden Law Firm and Kevin](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/about)
- [Bars, Courts, & Cases](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/garden-law-bars-courts-and-cases)
- Show submenu for Practice Areas Practice Areas
- Practice Areas
- [Concessioners, Guides, & Outfitters](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/legal-assistance-for-concessioners-guides-and-outfitters-on-federal-land)
- [Federal Land Use Issues](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/federal-land-use-issues)
- [Government Contracts & Bid Protests](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/government-contracts-bid-protests)
- Show submenu for DIY Legal Resources DIY Legal Resources
- DIY Legal Resources
- [Garden Law Resource Center](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/garden-law-resource-center)
- [The Concessioners Toolbox](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/the-concessioners-toolbox-diy-legal-resources-for-concessioners)
- [From The Garden Blog](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden)
- Search
- [Contact Kevin](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/contact-garden-law)
[Contact Kevin](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/contact-garden-law)
Search
[The Garden Law Firm Blog](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden)
Categories
[Subscribe!](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/sign-up-for-the-latest-news-from-garden-law)
- [Industry News](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden/tag/industry-news)
- [Case Commentaries](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden/tag/case-commentaries)
- [Alerts](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden/tag/alerts)
- [Forest Service](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden/tag/forest-service)
- [Forest Service campground concessions](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden/tag/forest-service-campground-concessions)
- [campground prospectus](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden/tag/campground-prospectus)
- [encroachment](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden/tag/encroachment)
- [federal contract minimum wage](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden/tag/federal-contract-minimum-wage)
- [BLM leases](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden/tag/blm-leases)
- [FLPMA](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden/tag/flpma)
- [Forest Service helicopter](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden/tag/forest-service-helicopter)
- [Forest Service outfitter](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden/tag/forest-service-outfitter)
- [Forest Service small business set-aside](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden/tag/forest-service-small-business-set-aside)
# Court Finds Forest Service Permittee’s Master Development Plan Did Not Require NEPA Analysis
A court recently found that the Forest Service’s approval of a special use permittee’s master development plan (MDP) was not a final decision that required any NEPA analysis. The court’s conclusion was based on its determination that approval of the MDP did not commit the Forest Service to allow any of the development proposed under the plan. The court also agreed with the Forest Service that a specific mountain bike trail and skills area project approved under the MDP, if completed, would not have any significant impacts on the environment, and therefore no environmental impact statement (EIS) was required.
Plaintiffs alleged that the Forest Service’s mere acceptance of the MDP constituted a “major federal action” that subjected the decision to a NEPA analysis. Plaintiffs thus argue that the Forest Service violated NEPA by failing to solicit public comment and analyze the environmental effects of the MDP. However, the Forest Service argued that its “acceptance” of the MDP did not constitute “approval” for projects identified in the plan. The court agreed with the Forest Service, holding that the MDP simply identified the permittee’s vision for future developments and that subsequent approval of individual project components would first require appropriate NEPA analysis. While the plaintiffs asserted that all parties benefit when a conceptual plan is subjected to NEPA review, the court noted that “more NEPA analysis is not necessarily better” if an agency expends scarce resources to review hypothetical projects “that may never be proposed or authorized.”
**Tags:**
[Case Commentaries](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden/tag/case-commentaries)
Post by [Kevin Garden](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden/author/kevin-garden)
Whether you're a large-scale concessioner, a small family business, a guide, an outfitter, or an individual doing business or recreating on federal land, Kevin Garden has the experience and perspective to help.
[Follow me on my website](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com) [Follow me on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100066387593247) [Follow me on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-garden-1315b330/) [Follow me on Twitter](https://twitter.com/gardenlawfirm)
### Related Articles
##### [ Case Commentaries Supreme Court Narrows Scope Of Impacts To Be Evaluated Under NEPA 1 min read](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden/supreme-court-narrows-scope-of-impacts-to-be-evaluated-under-nepa)
##### [ Forest Service Court Suspends Forest Service From Enforcing Its Decision To Deny A Special Use Permit 1 min read](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden/court-suspends-forest-service-from-enforcing-its-decision-to-deny-a-special-use-permit)
##### [ Forest Service Court Clarifies Forest Service and Campground Permittee Liability For Injuries To Visitors 1 min read](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden/court-clarifies-forest-service-and-campground-permittee-liability-for-injuries-to-visitors)
### Sign up for news from Garden Law
Make informed decisions in your business as a concessioner, guide, or outfitter on federal lands. Subscribe to From the Garden blog to stay up to date!
###### Categories
- [Industry News](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden/tag/industry-news)
- [Case Commentaries](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden/tag/case-commentaries)
- [Alerts](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden/tag/alerts)
- [Forest Service](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden/tag/forest-service)
- [Forest Service campground concessions](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden/tag/forest-service-campground-concessions)
###### Recent Posts
- [New Federal Contractor Minimum Wage Requires Government To Compensate Procurement Contractor](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden/new-federal-contractor-minimum-wage-requires-government-to-compensate-procurement-contractor)
- [US Forest Service Is Incorporating AI Into Its Environmental Reviews Of Infrastructure Projects](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden/us-forest-service-is-incorporating-ai-into-its-environmental-reviews-of-infrastructure-projects)
- [Forest Service Approves Private Construction Of A New Recreation Facility Under A Term Permit](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden/forest-service-approves-private-construction-of-a-new-recreation-facility-under-a-term-permit)
- [Court Finds Forest Service Regulation Prohibiting Unauthorized Commercial Activity Invalid In The Case Of A Social Media Influencer](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden/court-finds-forest-service-regulation-prohibiting-unauthorized-commercial-activity-invalid-in-the-case-of-a-social-media-influencer)
- [National Park Service Requests Cuts To Its Own Budget](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden/national-park-service-requests-cuts-to-its-own-budget)
[](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com)
66 Canal Center Plaza, Suite 505
Alexandria, VA 22314
Tel: (703) 535-5565
-
-
-
- Explore Garden Law
- [About](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/about)
- [Legal Notices](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/garden-law-website-legal-notices)
- [Contact Us](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/contact-garden-law)
- Resources
- [From the Garden Blog](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden)
- [The Concessioner's Toolbox](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/the-concessioners-toolbox-diy-legal-resources-for-concessioners)
- [Sign up for News from Garden Law](https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/sign-up-for-the-latest-news-from-garden-law)
©2026 The Garden Law Firm, P.C. All rights reserved.
```json
{
"@context" : "https://schema.org",
"@type" : "BlogPosting",
"author" : {
"@type" : "Person",
"name" : "Kevin Garden",
"url" : "https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden/author/kevin-garden"
},
"dateModified" : "2025-01-07T20:52:33.608Z",
"datePublished" : "2016-06-27T16:30:48.000Z",
"headline" : "Court Finds Forest Service Permittee’s Master Development Plan Did Not Require NEPA Analysis",
"mainEntityOfPage" : {
"@id" : "https://www.gardenlawfirm.com/from-the-garden/court-finds-forest-service-permittees-master-development-plan-did-not-require-nepa-analysis",
"@type" : "WebPage"
},
"publisher" : {
"@type" : "Organization",
"logo" : {
"@type" : "ImageObject"
}
}
}
```