U.S. Bureau of Land Management Proposes Rule Promoting Conservation on Federal Land
On April 3, 2023, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) published a proposed rule in the Federal Register that would put conservation of U.S. managed lands on an equal footing with oil and gas development and other economic activities (the Proposed Rule). Stakeholders interested in development on federal lands should consider carefully the implications of BLM’s proposal.
U.S. District Court Enjoins Biden Administration’s Nationwide Oil and Gas Leasing “Pause” Following Fifth Circuit’s Remand
On August 18, 2022, the federal district court for the Western District of Louisiana (the District Court) enjoined the nationwide pause of oil and gas leasing by the Biden administration (the Government). The District Court issued a permanent injunction just one day after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (the Fifth Circuit) vacated and remanded the District Court’s order by which the District Court had previously issued a preliminary injunction enjoining the pause.
Ninth Circuit Lifts Injunction in Response to Company’s Pleas to Meet Construction Deadlines
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit recently lifted a preliminary injunction in Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribe, et al. v. U.S. Dep’t of Interior. The plaintiffs had challenged construction of the Dixie Meadows Geothermal Utilization Project, which is expected to help Nevada achieve its renewable portfolio requirement and would include two geothermal plants, at least 18 geothermal wells, and approximately 50 miles of transmission lines over a 2,000-acre plot of public land. (more…)
Fourth Circuit Vacates Mountain Valley Pipeline Approval
On Tuesday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit vacated, for the second time, the record of decision issued by the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management allowing the Mountain Valley pipeline to cross three and a half miles of the Jefferson National Forest in Virginia and West Virginia. (more…)
U.S. Department of the Interior Releases Report on Federal Oil and Gas Leases
On November 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) issued a long-anticipated report on federal oil and gas leases. The report focuses on the fiscal terms, leasing process, and remediation requirements of federal oil and gas leases. Notably, however, it does not discuss the possibility of banning new leases. (more…)
Bureau of Land Management Announces Plans to Assess Greenhouse Gas Emissions for Oil and Gas Lease Sales
On October 29, 2021, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced that state offices will solicit feedback from the public this week on proposed oil and gas lease sales to be held in early 2022 through draft environmental assessments. In addition to analyzing the effects of lease sales on air and water quality, wildlife habitats, and community impacts, these environmental assessments will also analyze greenhouse gas emissions on a national scale, including the social cost of carbon. (more…)