Duncan's Point Lot Owners Ass'n Inc. v. F.E.R.C.

Decision Date15 April 2008
Docket NumberNo. 06-1325.,No. 06-1157.,No. 05-1421.,05-1421.,06-1157.,06-1325.
PartiesDUNCAN'S POINT LOT OWNERS ASSOCIATION INC., et al., Petitioners v. FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION, Respondent. Union Electric Company, et al., Intervenors.
CourtU.S. Court of Appeals — District of Columbia Circuit

Eliehue Brunson argued the cause and filed the briefs for petitioners.

Inez Y. Kaiser, pro se, filed a brief as intervenor in support of petitioner.

Samuel Soopper, Attorney, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, argued the cause for respondent. With him on the brief were Cynthia A. Marlette, General Counsel, and Robert H. Solomon, Solicitor. John S. Moot, Attorney, entered an appearance.

Charles A. Zdebski argued the cause and filed the brief for intervenor Union Electric Company.

Before: RANDOLPH and GRIFFITH, Circuit Judges, and EDWARDS, Senior Circuit Judge.

Opinion for the court filed by Circuit Judge GRIFFITH.

GRIFFITH, Circuit Judge:

The operator of a hydroelectric project at the Lake of the Ozarks in central Missouri, acting pursuant to a license issued by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ("FERC" or "the Commission"), granted a developer an easement for a wastewater discharge pipe and permission to build a seawall. FERC found that both actions violated the license and ordered several remedies. Petitioners challenged FERC's handling of the matter. For the reasons set forth below, we deny their petitions for review.

I.

The Bagnell Dam, completed in 1931, impounds the Osage River in central Missouri to create the Lake of the Ozarks — a massive, narrow, twisting reservoir that covers over 55,000 acres and, with its many long branches, creates a shoreline of some 1150 miles. The dam is part of the Osage Hydroelectric Project ("Osage Project"), which has the capacity to generate 176.2 megawatts of power. In 1981, FERC granted the Union Electric Company, doing business as AmerenUE ("Ameren" or "the licensee"), a twenty-five-year license to operate the Osage Project.

Petitioners are lot owners, homeowners, and residents of Duncan's Point, a historic resort that borders the Lake of the Ozarks. Daniel Ralph Duncan, an African-American businessman from Kansas City, Missouri, founded Duncan's Point in 1952 to offer "African-Americans peace, solitude and an escape away from the indignities of racial inequality." Notice of Formal Complaint against Ameren at 3, Duncan's Point Lot Owners Ass'n v. Union Elec. Co., No. EL05-73-000 (Mar. 4, 2005). The resort has over 300 acres and 70 homes, and offers access to fishing, boating, hunting, water skiing, and swimming. Id. It is eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. Duncan's Point Lot Owners Ass'n v. Union Elec. Co., 111 F.E.R.C. ¶ 61,190, 61,919 (2005).

Ameren's license to operate the Osage Project includes terms governing the management of project property. In a September 2004 letter order to Ameren, FERC announced its determination that Ameren had violated two provisions of the license by granting Pebble Creek Homes Association ("Pebble Creek" or "the developer") — a developer building a community of lakefront homes near Duncan's Point — an easement for an effluent discharge pipe that crossed project property, and permission to build a 2232-foot long seawall on the lake shoreline, which is also project property. FERC's September 2004 letter order explained that the seawall, 300 feet of which had already been built, and the discharge pipe "may have impeded public access to the Lake in contradiction to article 18 of the license." Letter from John E. Estep, FERC Division of Hydropower Administration and Compliance, to David Fitzgerald, Ameren, at 4 (Sept. 7, 2004) ("September 2004 Letter"). Article 18 provides that "[s]o far as is consistent with proper operation of the project, the Licensee shall allow the public free access, to a reasonable extent, to project waters and adjacent project lands owned by the Licensee for the purpose of full public utilization of such lands and waters for navigation and for outdoor recreational purposes, including fishing and hunting." See Union Elec. Co., Project No. 459, 15 F.E.R.C. ¶ 62,038, 63,046 (1981) (incorporating into the license the terms and conditions set forth in Form L-3 (revised Oct. 1975), entitled Terms and Conditions of License for Constructed Major Project Afecting Navigable Waters of the United States, 54 F.P.C. 1792, 1822 (1975), which terms include article 18). FERC's letter also explained that because Ameren "did not consider alternatives to a seawall such as plantings or rip-rap nor did it consider that a seawall may not have been necessary at the site," and because it "did not notify FERC ... prior to permitting the discharge pipe," its actions violated article 41 of the license. September 2004 Letter at 3. Article 41 "delegates to the licensee authority to grant permission for certain use and occupancy of project property, including permits for construction of retaining walls, docks and similar structures." Id. at 1; see also 15 F.E.R.C. at 62,048-49 (article 41).

FERC ordered that the construction of the seawall cease and that Ameren take detailed steps to mitigate the harm already caused. September 2004 Letter at 4-6. Among other things, FERC ordered that Ameren facilitate public access to the lake by constructing a walkway along the seawall, designating an area at the crossroads of the Duncan's Point and Pebble Creek communities as a shoreline access area for the public, and developing a two-acre park near the new development with a parking area and trail to the lake. Id. In February 2005, FERC sent a follow-up letter order noting Ameren's compliance with several of the requirements and reminding it of its remaining obligations. Letter from John E. Estep, FERC Division of Hydropower Administration and Compliance, to Warren Witt, Ameren (Feb. 23, 2005).

Petitioners received copies of both FERC's September 2004 and February 2005 letter orders, but did not properly request rehearing of either. See Union Elec. Co., 114 F.E.R.C. ¶ 61,038, 61,112 n. 14 (2006) (explaining that the filing petitioners submitted regarding the two letter orders failed to properly request rehearing). Petitioners filed a complaint with FERC pursuant to FERC's regulations, which provide that "[a]ny person may file a complaint seeking Commission action against any other person alleged to be in contravention or violation of any statute, rule, order, or other law administered by the Commission, or for any other alleged wrong over which the Commission may have jurisdiction." 18 C.F.R. § 385.206. Petitioners' complaint alleged that Ameren's actions with regard to the discharge pipe and seawall violated the project license, as well as the National Environmental Policy Act ("NEPA"), the National Historic Preservation Act ("NHPA"), the Clean Water Act ("CWA"), and easements and covenants running with the land. FERC denied the complaint. Its order stated that NEPA and the NHPA apply to federal agencies, not private entities such as Ameren, and that FERC does not have jurisdiction over the petitioners' CWA claims. Duncan's Point Lot Owners Ass'n v. Union Elec. Co., 111 F.E.R.C. ¶ 61,190, 61,923 (2005). FERC explained that most of the alleged violations "concern matters that are outside the Commission's jurisdiction, and those that are within [its] jurisdiction have already been adequately resolved by Commission staff." Id. at 61,920. Petitioners filed a request for rehearing, see 18 C.F.R. § 385.713 (providing for requests for rehearing of final Commission decisions or orders), challenging the denial of their complaint and alleging for the first time that FERC itself had abridged petitioners' due process rights and had violated NEPA, the NHPA, and the CWA. FERC addressed and rejected petitioners' arguments and denied their request for rehearing. Duncan's Point Lot Owners Ass'n v. Union Elec. Co., 112 FERC ¶ 61,289 (2005).

While petitioners were pursuing their claims before the Commission, FERC continued to monitor Ameren's compliance with its September 2004 and February 2005 letter orders. The Commission sent another letter order on September 1, 2005, reminding Ameren of its continuing responsibilities under the September 2004 order. Letter from John E. Estep, FERC Division of Hydropower Administration and Compliance, to Warren Witt, Ameren (Sept. 1, 2005). Dissatisfied with FERC's approach to Ameren's compliance obligations, petitioners filed a request for rehearing of this letter order, see 18 C.F.R. §§ 385.206, 713, which FERC denied. Union Elec. Co., 114 F.E.R.C. ¶ 61,038 (2006). FERC sent yet another letter order to Ameren on March 28, 2006, reminding it of the duty to maintain in good condition the walkway in front of the seawall. Petitioners also sought rehearing of this letter order, 18 C.F.R. §§ 385.206, 713, which FERC denied. Union Elec. Co., 116 F.E.R.C. ¶ 61,045 (2006).

Petitioners filed timely petitions for review of FERC's denials of their requests to rehear the dismissal of the complaint, and the September 1, 2005 and March 28, 2006 letter orders. We consolidated the petitions and have jurisdiction to consider them under 16 U.S.C. § 825(b). We review the Commission's licensing decisions, such as those taken in this case, under a deferential standard and will set aside FERC's orders only if they are arbitrary and capricious. North Carolina v. FERC, 112 F.3d 1175, 1189 (D.C.Cir.1997); 5 U.S.C. § 706(2)(A) (reviewing court shall set aside agency actions found to be "arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, or otherwise not in accordance with law"). We will uphold FERC's factual findings if they are "supported by substantial evidence." 16 U.S.C. § 825(b).

II.

Petitioners allege that FERC violated NEPA, the NHPA, and the CWA, and also denied them due process. We reject their...

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