Juliana v. United States
A district court granted a group of youths' motion for leave to file a second amended complaint in a lawsuit alleging the U.S. government failed to act on climate change and violated their right to a safe climate. The youths had argued that the government violated their constitutional rights under t...
Western Watersheds Project v. Haaland
The Tenth Circuit affirmed in part and reversed in part dismissal of a challenge to the Forest Service's approval of grazing permits in Bridger-Teton National Forest that authorized the "lethal take" of grizzly bears. Environmental groups challenged the approval, arguing FWS violated the ESA because...
Concerned Household Electricity Consumers Council v. Environmental Protection Agency
The D.C. Circuit dismissed industry groups' petitions to review EPA's decision not to reconsider its 2009 finding that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from motor vehicles contribute to climate change and thus endanger public health and welfare. The groups initially petitioned EPA to reconsider its fi...
Nantucket Residents Against Turbines v. U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
A district court denied summary judgment for a group of landowners in a challenge to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management's (BOEM's) and NMFS' decisions approving an offshore wind energy project off the coast of Nantucket. The group argued that NMFS violated the ESA by failing to adequately conside...
Center for Biological Diversity v. United States Fish and Wildlife Service
The Ninth Circuit affirmed vacatur of FWS' designation of an area in the northern Santa Rita Mountains as occupied critical habitat for jaguar. An environmental group initially sued FWS, challenging the Service's conclusion that a proposed copper mine project in the area would not destroy or adverse...
Wild Fish Conservancy v. Rumsey
A district court adopted the recommendations of a magistrate judge and vacated portions of NMFS' 2019 biological opinion concerning the incidental take statement that authorized take of southern resident killer whales and chinook salmon resulting from commercial harvest of chinook salmon during trol...
Center for Biological Diversity v. U.S. Forest Service
A district court granted environmental groups' motion to preliminarily enjoin a logging project in the Kootenai National Forest. The groups argued the project violated the ESA by failing to adequately consider the impacts of unauthorized motorized access on grizzly bears in the project area. The cou...
Hawai'i Electric Light Co., Inc.
The Hawaii Supreme Court affirmed the Public Utility Commission's (PUC's) decision denying an energy company's request to supply energy to Hawaii Island using a biomass power plant. The company appealed, arguing the PUC misunderstood its mandate and held it to an unfair standard. The court disagreed...