A district court vacated two rights-of-way that BLM issued to a company in 2020 to transport water through an existing gas pipeline across federal lands. Environmental groups sought vacatur, arguing the rights-of-way violated FLPMA, NEPA, and the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). BLM agreed...
The Ninth Circuit affirmed summary judgment for FWS in a challenge to its combined EIS and comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) concerning the continued leasing of refuge land for farming in the Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge Complex. Environmental groups argued the EIS/CCP violated the Nat...
The Federal Highway Administration proposed to amend its regulations governing national performance management measures to require state departments of transportation and metropolitan planning organizations to establish declining carbon dioxide targets and a method for the measurement and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions associated with transportation under Title 23 of the U.S. Code.
The Ninth Circuit affirmed, 2-1, a district court's denial of a Native American group's motion to preliminarily enjoin a land exchange and prevent copper mining on land in Arizona. The group argued the land exchange violated the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), the Free Exercise Clause, and...
The Rural Housing Service, Rural Business-Cooperative Service, and Rural Utilities Service updated the definition of "Rural area" for every Rural Development program using the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act definition to conform to the revision to the statutory definition in the 2018 Farm Bill.
DOE and DOT established the Electric Vehicle Working Group to make recommendations regarding the development, adoption, and integration of electric vehicles into U.S. transportation and energy systems.
The Natural Resources Conservation Service announced it intends to issue a series of revised conservation practice standards in the National Handbook of Conservation Practices.
The Ninth Circuit affirmed summary judgment for FWS in a challenge to its 2016 Kenai Rule, which banned baiting of brown bears in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge and hunting of coyotes, lynx, and wolves in a specific wildlife recreation area. The state of Alaska and a hunting group argued the rul...
A district court denied environmental groups' motion for a temporary restraining order in a challenge to BLM's authorization of livestock grazing on pastures containing research natural areas (RNAs). The groups argued BLM's regulations required fencing to be installed to section off the RNAs so they...
A district court granted in part environmental groups' motion for summary judgment in a challenge to BLM's issuance of a 2018 instruction memorandum on greater sage grouse conservation and and subsequent oil and gas lease sales in Nevada and Wyoming. Environmental groups argued the lease sales confl...