ELR Citation: 51 ELR 20100
No(s). 4:17-cv-00030-BMM and 4:17-cv-00042-BMM (D. Mont. Jun 3, 2021) (Morris, J.)

A district court denied BLM's motion to stay a challenge to a former Secretary of the Interior's order lifting a moratorium on coal leasing. States, environmental groups, and a Native American tribe had challenged the adequacy of BLM's final EA and FONSI in support of its decision to reinstate the leasing. BLM moved to stay proceedings based on the current Secretary's recent order revoking the previous administration's order. The court found that its previous order delaying the briefing schedule already accounted for the new administration and its policy review, and that an "orderly course of justice" did not require drawing out the dispute further. It therefore denied the motion to stay.