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Show 5 ELR 20212 ENVIRONMENTAL LAW REPORTER 5-75 tire Bonneville Unit plan, including possible alternatives to Currant Creek Dam, that being the defect in the Statement specifically complained of by the plaintiffs. We believe such discussion to comport with the statute. In Life of the Land v. Brinegar, 485 F.2d 460, at 472 (9th Cir. 1973), the following pertinent comment appears: "NEPA's 'alternatives' discussion is subject to. a construction of reasonableness. N.R.D.C, Inc. v. Morton, supra, 148 U.S.App.D.C. 5, 458 F.2d at 834. Certainly, the statute should not be employed as a crutch for chronic fault-finding. Accordingly, there is no need for an EIS to consider an alternative whose effect cannot be reasonably ascertained, and whose implementation is deemed remote and speculative. Id. at 834. Rather, the EIS need only set forth those alternatives 'sufficient to permit a reasoned choice.' Id. at 836. This has been done. See also Committee for Nuclear Responsibility, Inc. v. Seaborg, 149 U.S.App.D.C. 380, supra, 463 F.2d at 787; Pennsylvania Environmental Council v. Bartlett, 315 F.Supp. 238, 250 (M.D.Pa.1970)." As concerns cost-benefit ratio, the National Environmental Protection Act only requires that "presently unqualified environmental amenities and values * * * be given appropriate consideration in decisionmaking along with economic and technical considerations." 42 U.S.C. § 4332(B). See also Environmental Defense Fund, Inc. v. Armstrong, 352 F.Supp. 50 (N.D.Cal. 1973). This in our view does not require the fixing of a dollar figure to either environmental losses or benefits. Environmental Defense Fund v. Tennessee Valley Authority, 371 F.Supp. 1004 (E.D.Tenn.1973), aff'd, 492 F.2d 466 (6th Cir. 1974). Our study of the impact statement leads us to conclude that the cost-benefit matter is adequately covered therein. See Environmental Defense Fund, Inc. v. Corps Engineers of the United States Army, 492 F.2d 1123 (5th Cir. 1974). Judgment affirmed. |
