The Ninth Circuit affirmed in part and reversed in part summary judgment for BLM in challenges to approval of an oil and gas project in the northern Arctic. Environmental groups argued BLM failed to consider a reasonable range of alternatives as required under NEPA, its mandate to protect surface re...
The Ninth Circuit affirmed in part and reversed in part summary judgment for BLM in challenges to approval of an oil and gas project in the northern Arctic. Environmental groups argued BLM failed to consider a reasonable range of alternatives as required under NEPA, its mandate to protect surface re...
A district court reversed its prior dismissal of a challenge to four BLM leasing decisions concerning federal land in Utah. An environmental group had argued BLM violated NEPA and the ESA by failing to fully analyze the environmental, social, direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts of the lessees' ...
The U.S. Supreme Court, 8-0, held that the D.C. Circuit failed to afford the Surface Transportation Board the substantial deference NEPA requires in a challenge to the Board's authorization of a new 88-mile rail line in the Uinta Basin, and that the court incorrectly interpreted NEPA to require the ...
The Tenth Circuit reversed a district court decision denying a challenge to the Forest Service's decision to open new domestic sheep grazing allotments in Rio Grande National Forest. An environmental group argued the allotments posed a high risk to local populations of Rocky Mountain bigho...
The Ninth Circuit affirmed in part and reversed in part summary judgment for the Forest Service in a challenge to approval of a forest thinning project in Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. A conservation group argued the Service was required under NEPA to repeat the public comment process after a ...
A district court granted a conservation group's motion to preliminarily enjoin BLM from authorizing grazing in approximately 22,000 acres of land located in key research natural areas (RNAs) that were made unavailable to grazing in BLM's 2015 conservation plan for greater sage-grouse in Oregon....
A district court granted environmental groups' motion for summary judgment in a challenge to BLM's approval of a commercial logging project on federal land in Oregon. The groups argued BLM violated NEPA by failing to take a "hard look" at the environmental impacts and failing to prepare an EIS. The ...
The Ninth Circuit affirmed in part and vacated in part summary judgment for USDA's Wildlife Services in a challenge to the authorization of a predator damage and conflict management program in Nevada wilderness areas. Environmental groups argued the program violated the Wilderness Act because p...
The D.C. Circuit denied environmental groups' petitions to review DOE's authorization of a project to export from Alaska to non-free trade countries up to 20 million metric tons of liquefied natural gas (LNG) per annum for 30 years. The groups argued DOE misconceived the "public interest" and failed...