Pennsylvania's highest court reversed a lower court decision that would have allowed a company to drill, construct, develop, and operate unconventional natural gas wells as a conditional use in a district zoned for residential and agricultural uses. The lower court held that the proposed gas well wa...

A district court held that a city council breached a development agreement for a proposed export terminal when it passed an ordinance that banned coal operations at "bulk materials facilities" as well as a resolution that applied the ban to the proposed terminal. The development agreement froze in p...

A Colorado court, on motions for summary judgment, held that state and federal law preempt portions of a city ordinance concerning the regulation of oil and gas development within its boundaries. The provisions for minimum setbacks prohibit what state regulations would allow. As such, they are preem...

A district court dismissed environmental groups' NEPA and National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) claims against BLM in connection with its approval of oil and gas drilling on public and tribal lands near Cacho Cultural National Historical Park. The court agreed that the groups have standing to pu...

A Pennsylvania appellate court held that a family may go forward with its lawsuit against a natural gas company for operating wells on adjacent property to extract natural gas from beneath the family's property via hydraulic fracturing. The family asserted claims for trespass and conversion and soug...

A district court denied motions to dismiss environmental groups' lawsuit challenging Executive Order 13795, “Implementing an America-First Offshore Energy Strategy,” which reversed President Obama’s withdrawal of 128 million acres in the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans from future oil and gas leasi...

A Pennsylvania court affirmed a lower court decision dismissing residents' and an environmental group's lawsuit challenging the construction of a natural gas pipeline through a suburban township. The plaintiffs argued that a local zoning ordinance prohibits the construction of hazardous gas and liqu...

A district court enjoined BLM from suspending or delaying the requirements of its waste prevention rule, which was issued to reduce emissions of natural gas from venting, flaring, and leaks during oil and gas production activities on onshore federal land. The rule went into effect on January 17, 201...

The Federal Circuit upheld rulings by the U.S. Court of International Trade and the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) that imports of solar cells from China harmed U.S. producers. American solar producers filed petitions with the Department of Commerce seeking antidumping duties on Chinese s...

The Hawaii Supreme Court held that the “right to a clean and healthful environment” as set forth in the Hawaii Constitution gives citizens the right to be heard and protect their environmental interests in cases before the state Public Utilities Commission. A Hawaiian electric company sought the...