Lying v. Northwest Indian CPA

Lyng, Petitioner v. Northwest Indian CPA, Respondent
Supreme Court of the United States
Argued November 30, 1987 Decided April 19, 1988
Full case name	Lyng v. Northwest Indian CPA
Docket no.	88-515
Holding
Though the government's actions would have severe adverse effects on the Indians' practice of their religion, those effects were only incidental and did not attempt to coerce Native Americans to act in violation of their beliefs. The Court therefore held that the Forest Service was free to harvest the lands.
Court membership
Chief Justice William Rehnquist Associate Justices William J. Brennan Jr. · Byron White Thurgood Marshall · Harry Blackmun John P. Stevens · Sandra Day O'Connor Antonin Scalia · Anthony Kennedy
Case opinions
Majority	O'Connor, joined by Rehnquist, White, Stevens, and Scalia
Dissent	Brennan, joined by Marshall, and Blackmun

The United States Forest Service was considering building a paved roadway that would cut through the Chimney Rock area of the Six Rivers National Forest. It was also considering timber harvesting in the area. A study commissioned by the Forest Service reported that harvesting the Chimney Rock area would irreparably damage grounds that had historically been used by Native Americans to conduct religious rituals. After the Forest Service decided to construct a road, the Northwest Indian Cemetery Protective Association took action against Secretary of Agriculture Richard Lyng.