The Fifth Circuit overturned a $3 million jury award for a nuisance claim against a petroleum company in which a family claimed natural gas extraction caused contamination of their property. The family alleged that the petroleum company's spills, releases, emissions, and discharges of air pollution ...
A district court refused to remand to state court a case where a plaintiff alleged that exposure to two petroleum companies' benzene-containing products caused him to develop cancer, finding that a party was fraudulently joined to prevent removal. The plaintiff originally sued the petroleum companie...
Aerial drones are emerging as an effective tool for environmental monitoring and enforcement because of their ability to reach areas that would be otherwise inaccessible or cost-prohibitive. However, the regulatory framework has not developed as fast as the technology, raising concerns. As EPA and other agencies consider using drones to monitor industrial sites and farmland, many landowners claim it would be an invasion of privacy. Using drones for inspections also raises legal questions about information obtained from drone flyovers and the associated evidentiary requirements.