This readme.txt file was generated on 7/6/2023 by Forrest Fleischman and Cory Struthers ------------------- GENERAL INFORMATION ------------------- 1. Title of Dataset US Forest Service Data on Planning, Appeals, Litigation and NEPA compliance, 2005-2021 [Previously: US Forest Service Data on Planning, Appeals, Litigation and NEPA compliance, 2005-2018] 2. Author Information Principal Investigator Contact Information Name: Forrest Fleischman Institution: University of Minnesota Address: Department of Forest Resources Email: ffleisch@umn.edu ORCID: 0000-0001-6060-4031 Associate or Co-investigator Contact Information Name: Cory Struthers Institution: University of Minnesota Address: Department of Forest Resources Email: cstruth@umn.edu Associate or Co-investigator Contact Information Name: Gwen Arnold Institution: UC Davis Address: Center for Environmental Policy & Behavior Email: gbarnold@ucdavis.edu Associate or Co-investigator Contact Information Name: Michael Dockry Institution: University of Minnesota Address: Department of Forest Resources Email: mdockry@umn.edu Associate or Co-investigator Contact Information Name: Tyler Scott Institution: UC Davis Address: Center for Environmental Policy & Behavior Email: tascott@ucdavis.edu 3. Date of data collection: April 2019, November 2022 4. Geographic location of data collection (where was data collected?): From an internal server within the United States Forest Service (USFS) called the Planning, Appeals, and Litigation System (PALS). 5. Information about funding sources that supported the collection of the data: “Collaborative Research: Understanding Drivers of Innovation in the Use of Science in Federal NEPA Decision-Making.”, National Science Foundation (NSF) Award #1829255. -------------------------- SHARING/ACCESS INFORMATION -------------------------- 1. Licenses/restrictions placed on the data: None 2. Links to publications that cite or use the data: The original article associated with the data is: Forrest Fleischman, Cory Struthers, Gwen Arnold, Mike Dockry, Tyler Scott, US Forest Service Implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act: Fast, Variable, Rarely Litigated, and Declining, Journal of Forestry, Volume 118, Issue 4, July 2020, Pages 403–418, https://doi.org/10.1093/jofore/fvaa016 Published correction to this article: Journal of Forestry, Volume 120, Issue 4, July 2022, Pages 481–482, https://doi.org/10.1093/jofore/fvac005 3. Links to other publicly accessible locations of the data: N/A 4. Links/relationships to ancillary data sets: N/A 5. Was data derived from another source? This data is derived from the US Forest Service's Planning, Appeals, and Litigation System (PALS). Data were generated from the System's "Multi-Year Trend Report” (MYTR). 6. Recommended citation for the data: Fleischman, Forrest, Cory Struthers, Gwen Arnold, Mike Dockry, Tyler Scott 2021. US Forest Service Data on Planning, Appeals, Litigation and NEPA compliance, 2005-2021. --------------------- DATA & FILE OVERVIEW --------------------- 1. File List A. Filename: previous_pals_datasets_2019_2021.zip Compressed folder content: │ pals_ongoing_project_7-2021.csv │ pals_ongoing_project_7-2021.rds │ USFS_PALS_MYTR_adjusted_3-2019.csv Short description: This folder contains older versions of the datafiles that were produced using the "clean_data_pals_7-2021.r" script located in the supplementary.zip file. The script drops any row with a duplicated project number (so that every row is a unique project/NEPA analysis), adds forest names, the calendar year variable, litigation data relevant to the original publication, and performs a few additional cleaning tasks. These datafiles can be used to replicate the results produced in Fleischman et al. using the "descriptive_analysis_pals_7-2021.r" file. B. Filenames: supplementary.zip Compressed folder content │ clean_data_pals_7-2021.r (processing script) │ descriptive_analysis_pals_7-2021.r (processing script) │ FS_ongoing_projects_11-2019.rds (input data for scripts) │ MYTR_National Level(1100)_sheet1.xlsx (older version of input data for scripts) | MYTR_National Level(1100)1_September_2021.xlsx (current input data for scripts) │ ├───S_USA.AdministrativeForest (input data for scripts) │ S_USA.AdministrativeForest.cpg │ S_USA.AdministrativeForest.dbf │ S_USA.AdministrativeForest.prj │ S_USA.AdministrativeForest.sbn │ S_USA.AdministrativeForest.sbx │ S_USA.AdministrativeForest.shp │ S_USA.AdministrativeForest.shx │ └───S_USA.AdministrativeRegion (input data for scripts) S_USA.AdministrativeRegion.cpg S_USA.AdministrativeRegion.dbf S_USA.AdministrativeRegion.prj S_USA.AdministrativeRegion.sbn S_USA.AdministrativeRegion.sbx S_USA.AdministrativeRegion.shp S_USA.AdministrativeRegion.shx Short description: This compressed folder contains the original MYTR datafiles and supplementary scripts for ongoing projects received from the USFS. In the MYTR, there are multiple rows for the same project in some cases. All files in the "supplementary" folder (the spreadsheets and shapefiles) are needed to run the cleaning and analysis scripts. In 2022, the data were updated to include projects with completed NEPA analyses through June 2021 (see excel file MYTR_National Level(1100)1_September_2021.xlsx). To create the "pals_projects_11-2022.rds" file from the MYTR, users can use the "clean_data_pals_7-2021.r", replacing the original MYTR with the newer version and excluding code that runs the "ongoing" file and the litigation file. C. Filename: pals_completed_projects_11-2022.csv | pals_completed_projects_11-2022.rds In 2022, we updated the data to include all completed analyses (extending the 7-2021 file to projects that occurred after 2018).. Like the earlier version, users should be wary of observations recorded before 2006. Importantly, the 2022 file does not include a corresponding updated "ongoing" file. We estimate based on the previous 2019 "ongoing" file that roughly 5% of total observations (actions that do not have a NEPA decision) are not recorded in the 2022 updated pals data file. Users should avoid drawing conclusions based on the number of projects recorded in later years (2019-2021 in particular) because of these missing observations. We will update the dataset as soon as we're able to retrieve these projects with unfinished NEPA analyses. Users should also be aware that some project numbers in the original (2021) file may not appear in the 2022 file. This is likely due to administrative error, where unfinished analyses were cancelled but not recorded correctly. Note that except for the "LITIGATED?" variable, no other litigation data is recorded in the 2022 file. 2. Additional related data collected that was not included in the current data package: We did not include data covering projects initiated before 2005, as we could not verify the accuracy of this data, which was created prior to the creation of the PALS system. As we mention in #2 (File List), the "ongoing" file was not updated in the 2022 version. 3. Are there multiple versions of the dataset? yes If yes, list versions: pals_project_11-2022.csv, pals_ongoing_project_7-2021.csv, USFS_PALS_MYTR_adjusted_3-2019.csv Minor changes were made to create the 7-2021 file from the 3-2019 file. The 7-2021 file made changes to the `LITIGATED?` variable (26 obs) and added two variables on litigation outcomes (`CASE STATUS` and `CASE OVERALL OUTCOME`). None of these changes influence the findings or inferences described in the original manuscript and should not affect the results of other studies that used the 3-2019 data file. The other change users should be aware of: In the new file (7-2021), we retain all unique project observations for all years. In other words, we do not drop projects that occur before 2005 or after 2018 so users can access this data. Users can get to the same number of observations in the 3-2019 file by running the lines 20-40 of the "descriptive_analysis_pals_7-2021.r" script. The 11-2022 file updates the completed NEPA analyses through June 2021 (see readme 1A). i. Why was the file updated? For the 7-2021 file, we applied a stricter interpretation of project litigation. For the 7-2022 file, we wanted to retrieve more recent observations. ii. When was the file updated? Updated July 2021; uploaded to repository on September 2021. Updated again in November 2022 for complete cases. -------------------------- METHODOLOGICAL INFORMATION -------------------------- 1. Description of methods used for collection/generation of data: In 2005 the US Forest Service began using a system called "Planning, Appeals, and litigation System (PALS)" for recording all major events related to project planning throughout the agency, particularly as they relate to work required for environmental analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act. In April 2019 we accessed this data, with permission from the US Forest Service, and downloaded the Multi-Year Trend Report, which recorded meta-data about all USFS projects. The MYTR was a .csv file that did not contain open records, so we requested a supplementary file for what we refer to as "ongoing" (i.e., not yet complete or incomplete) projects. We eliminated all projects initiated prior to 2005, because we were unable to verify that this information was entered accurately into the dataset. Data are entered into the PALS system by officials throughout the National Forest System. 2. Methods for processing the data: Please see both scripts and corresponding publications for data processing information. 3. Describe any quality-assurance procedures performed on the data: Please see both scripts and corresponding publications for quality assurance procedures. 4. People involved with sample collection, processing, analysis and/or submission: Co-authors on corresponding publication. ----------------------------------------- DATA-SPECIFIC INFORMATION FOR: pals_completed_projects_11-2022.rds (or csv) ----------------------------------------- 1. Number of variables: 104 2. Number of cases/rows: 40,721 3. Missing data codes: Our information about the variables in the MYTR is limited to those used in our analysis. In some cases, we leave descriptions of the variables below blank because they have no obvious definition and/or we have no further information about them, but want to make the data available to the public for further analysis. Users should follow-up with the agency directly as necessary. 4. Variable List -FOREST_ID Unique ID number assigned to each National Forest by the US Forest Service -PROJECT NUMBER Unique ID number assigned to each project -PROJECT NAME Name given by administrators to project -LMU (ACTUAL) The most locally specific administrative unit (Land Management Unit) affected by the project -LMU - REGION The region number this unit is located in -LMU - FOREST Abbreviation for the national forest the unit is located in -LMU - DISTRICT Name of the ranger district the project is located in - PROJECT STATUS Whether or not the project is completed (we have been told this variable may not be updated regularly) - PROJECT CREATED The date when data was entered into the PALS system - CREATED FY The fiscal year the data was entered into the PALS system - DECISION ID An ID number assigned to the decision - DECISION NAME A name given to the decision - INITIATION DATE The date the USFS began working on the decision (typically the date of the announcement of a Notice of Intent or Scoping Notice) - INITIATION FY The fiscal year associated with initiation (can be different from the year of the initiation date) - DECISION SIGNED Date a final decision was signed - SIGNED FY The fiscal year associated with signing (can be different from the year of the decision signed date) - SIGNER LAST NAME Last name of responsible official - SIGNER FIRST NAME First name of responsible official - SIGNER TITLE Job title of the person who signed the decision - DECISION TYPE DN-Decision Notice (Environmental Assessment), DM - Decision memo (Categorical exclusion), ROD - Record of Decision (for an Environmental Impact Statement) - note `analysisType' variable generated in analysis script - DECISION APPEAL RULE - PROJECT NOTICE AND COMMENT REGULATION - APPEALED OR OBJECTED? Yes = 1 - NO COMMENTS OR ONLY SUPPORT? - LITIGATED? yes =1 Purposes are broad goals of a project, and are coded by the people responsible for entering data into PALS. 1= yes, has purpose, 0 = does not -FC Facility Management Purpose -FR Research Purpose -HF Fuels Management Purpose -HR Heritage Resource Management Purpose -LM Land ownership management – purpose -LW Land acquisition – purpose -MG Minerals and geology – purpose -PN Land management planning – purpose -RD Road management – purpose -RG Grazing management – purpose -RO Regulations, directives, orders – purpose -RU Special area management – purpose -RW Recreation management – purpose -SU Special use management – purpose -TM Forest products – purpose -VM Vegetation management (non-forest products) – purpose -WF Wildlife, fish, rare plants – purpose -WM Water management – purpose Activities are, according to the agency, more specific than purposes. 1=yes, has activity; 0=does not -AL Land use adjustments – activity -BL Boundary adjustments – activity -BM Biomass – activity -CP Plan creation/revision – activity -DC Directive creation/modification – activity -DR Road decommissioning – activity -DS Developed site management – activity -EC Environmental compliance actions – activity -ET Electric transmission – activity -FACTS Activity (0,1) -FI Facility improvements/construction – activity -FN Fuel treatments – activity -FV Forest vegetation improvements – activity -GA Dispersed recreation management – activity -GP Grazing allotment management – activity -GR Grazing authorizations – activity -GT Geothermal – activity -HI Species habitat improvements – activity -HP Hydropower – activity -HR Heritage resource management – activity -LA Special use authorizations – activity -LP Land purchases – activity -MF Facility maintenance – activity -ML Abandoned mine land clean-up – activity -MO Minerals or geology plans of operations – activity -MP Plan amendment – activity -MT Trail management – activity -NC Special products sales – activity -NG Natural gas – activity -NW Noxious weed treatments – activity -OC Order creation/modification – activity -OL Oil – activity -PE Species population enhancements – activity -PJ Land exchanges – activity -RA Roadless area management – activity -RC Regulation creation/modification – activity -RD Road maintenance – activity -RE Research and development – activity -RI Road improvements/construction – activity -RV Rangeland vegetation improvements – activity -SA Special area management – activity -SC Scenery management – activity -SI Grazing structural improvements – activity -SL Solar – activity -SS Timber sales (salvage) – activity -TR Travel management – activity -TS Timber sales (green) – activity -WC Watershed improvements – activity -WD Wilderness management – activity -WI Wind – activity -UNIQUE PROJECT? 1 = yes, 0 = no (in some cases, the project has been entered twice by different responsible officials) - ELAPSED DAYS Number of days from beginning analysis to reaching a decision - UNIQUE DECISION? - ongoing Indicates whether project is "open" (either yet to be complete or incomplete); these were sent separately from the original MYTR - DISTRICT_ID A unique identifier for the ranger district - REGION_ID A unique identified for the region - DECISION_LEVEL What office made the decision (i.e., ranger district, national forest, region) - RegionName Name of the region - forestName Name of the national forest - calendarYearSigned Calendar year the decision was signed, generated from `DECISION DATE SIGNED' variable - calendarYearInitiated Calendar year the decision was initiated, generated from `INITIATION DATE' variable ----------------------------------------- DATA-SPECIFIC INFORMATION FOR: pals_ongoing_projects_7-2021.rds (or csv) ----------------------------------------- 1. Number of variables: 109 2. Number of cases/rows: 39,930 3. Missing data codes: Our information about the variables in the MYTR is limited to those used in our analysis. In some cases, we leave descriptions of the variables below blank because they have no obvious definition and/or we have no further information about them, but want to make the data available to the public for further analysis. Users should follow-up with the agency directly as necessary. 4. Variable List -FOREST_ID Unique ID number assigned to each National Forest by the US Forest Service -PROJECT NUMBER Unique ID number assigned to each project -PROJECT NAME Name given by administrators to project -LMU (ACTUAL) The most locally specific administrative unit (Land Management Unit) affected by the project -LMU - REGION The region number this unit is located in -LMU - FOREST Abbreviation for the national forest the unit is located in -LMU - DISTRICT Name of the ranger district the project is located in - PROJECT STATUS Whether or not the project is completed (we have been told this variable may not be updated regularly) - PROJECT CREATED The date when data was entered into the PALS system - CREATED FY The fiscal year the data was entered into the PALS system - DECISION ID An ID number assigned to the decision - DECISION NAME A name given to the decision - INITIATION DATE The date the USFS began working on the decision (typically the date of the announcement of a Notice of Intent or Scoping Notice) - INITIATION FY The fiscal year associated with initiation (can be different from the year of the initiation date) - DECISION SIGNED Date a final decision was signed - SIGNED FY The fiscal year associated with signing (can be different from the year of the decision signed date) - SIGNER LAST NAME Last name of responsible official - SIGNER FIRST NAME First name of responsible official - SIGNER TITLE Job title of the person who signed the decision - DECISION TYPE DN-Decision Notice (Environmental Assessment), DM - Decision memo (Categorical exclusion), ROD - Record of Decision (for an Environmental Impact Statement) - note `analysisType' variable generated in analysis script - DECISION APPEAL RULE - PROJECT NOTICE AND COMMENT REGULATION - APPEALED OR OBJECTED? Yes = 1 - NO COMMENTS OR ONLY SUPPORT? - LITIGATED? yes =1 Purposes are broad goals of a project, and are coded by the people responsible for entering data into PALS. 1= yes, has purpose, 0 = does not -FC Facility Management Purpose -FR Research Purpose -HF Fuels Management Purpose -HR Heritage Resource Management Purpose -LM Land ownership management – purpose -LW Land acquisition – purpose -MG Minerals and geology – purpose -PN Land management planning – purpose -RD Road management – purpose -RG Grazing management – purpose -RO Regulations, directives, orders – purpose -RU Special area management – purpose -RW Recreation management – purpose -SU Special use management – purpose -TM Forest products – purpose -VM Vegetation management (non-forest products) – purpose -WF Wildlife, fish, rare plants – purpose -WM Water management – purpose Activities are, according to the agency, more specific than purposes. 1=yes, has activity; 0=does not -AL Land use adjustments – activity -BL Boundary adjustments – activity -BM Biomass – activity -CP Plan creation/revision – activity -DC Directive creation/modification – activity -DR Road decommissioning – activity -DS Developed site management – activity -EC Environmental compliance actions – activity -ET Electric transmission – activity -FACTS Activity (0,1) -FI Facility improvements/construction – activity -FN Fuel treatments – activity -FV Forest vegetation improvements – activity -GA Dispersed recreation management – activity -GP Grazing allotment management – activity -GR Grazing authorizations – activity -GT Geothermal – activity -HI Species habitat improvements – activity -HP Hydropower – activity -HR Heritage resource management – activity -LA Special use authorizations – activity -LP Land purchases – activity -MF Facility maintenance – activity -ML Abandoned mine land clean-up – activity -MO Minerals or geology plans of operations – activity -MP Plan amendment – activity -MT Trail management – activity -NC Special products sales – activity -NG Natural gas – activity -NW Noxious weed treatments – activity -OC Order creation/modification – activity -OL Oil – activity -PE Species population enhancements – activity -PJ Land exchanges – activity -RA Roadless area management – activity -RC Regulation creation/modification – activity -RD Road maintenance – activity -RE Research and development – activity -RI Road improvements/construction – activity -RV Rangeland vegetation improvements – activity -SA Special area management – activity -SC Scenery management – activity -SI Grazing structural improvements – activity -SL Solar – activity -SS Timber sales (salvage) – activity -TR Travel management – activity -TS Timber sales (green) – activity -WC Watershed improvements – activity -WD Wilderness management – activity -WI Wind – activity -UNIQUE PROJECT? 1 = yes, 0 = no (in some cases, the project has been entered twice by different responsible officials) - ELAPSED DAYS Number of days from beginning analysis to reaching a decision - UNIQUE DECISION? - ongoing Indicates whether project is "open" (either yet to be complete or incomplete); these were sent separately from the original MYTR - DISTRICT_ID A unique identifier for the ranger district - REGION_ID A unique identified for the region - DECISION_LEVEL What office made the decision (i.e., ranger district, national forest, region) - RegionName Name of the region - forestName Name of the national forest - calendarYearSigned Calendar year the decision was signed, generated from `DECISION DATE SIGNED' variable - calendarYearInitiated Calendar year the decision was initiated, generated from `INITIATION DATE' variable