Hydraulic Fracturing

A North Carolina court issued a preliminary injunction barring the state Mining and Energy Commission from accepting or processing any hydraulic fracturing applications until the state Supreme…

The Supreme Court of Texas held that courts may consider all relevant circumstantial evidence when granting or denying an expedited motion to dismiss suits that could stifle a defendant's…

New York's highest court refused to extend hydraulic fracturing leases entered into between energy companies and landowners. The leases contained a "force majeure" clause, excusing…

The Third Circuit upheld a lower court decision dismissing, on standing grounds, a doctor's claim challenging the constitutionality of a Pennsylvania law that limits a doctor's ability…

An Ohio court struck down a city's ban on drilling new oil and gas wells within its jurisdiction. On the one hand, the ban is a clear exercise of the city's police power; by attempting…

The Ohio Supreme Court held that a city may not restrict oil and gas drilling within its borders. The city sought to enforce five local ordinances limiting drilling within its borders after an…

A district court, in a 199-page opinion, struck down a local county ordinance banning oil-and-gas drilling, including hydraulic fracturing, within Mora County, New Mexico. Portions of the…

An Illinois court denied residents' motion to preliminarily enjoin the state's proposed hydraulic fracturing rules from going into effect. Illinois' environmental agency promulgated…

A Colorado court held that a voter-approved local ban on hydraulic fracturing cannot apply retroactively to ban oil and gas operations that a city approved in a prior agreement. The city entered…

A Colorado court held that the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Act preempts a city's ban on all oil and gas extraction and related activities within the city's boundaries. The court…