A district court denied the city of New Orleans' motion to remand to state court its lawsuit against oil companies for allegedly damaging coastal wetlands with their operations.

The Fifth Circuit dismissed intervening environmental groups' challenge to a district court order requiring the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) to hold an oil and gas lease sale on the outer continental shelf in the Gulf of Mexico.

The November issue of ELR features articles on BLM's conservation rule and conservation as a "use"; leveraging earth law principles to protect ocean rights; using objective characteristics to target household recycling policies; and fighting methane emissions with the False Claims Act. The issue also includes a transcript from a recent webinar that explored principles and policies the federal government may adopt as it develops a national framework for relocating coastal communities.

On May 25, 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court dropped an absolute bombshell with its ruling in Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency. Early assessments of Sackett underscore two vital points: much has been lost for wetlands protection, and much has changed with respect to the Court’s broader environmental law jurisprudence.