Feds ignored effect on groundwater, cumulative climate impacts
Contacts
Melissa Hornbein, Western Environmental Law Center, (406) 471-3173
Michael Saul, Center for Biological Diversity, (303) 915-8309 Great Falls, MT
A coalition of groups today challenged five Bureau of Land Management oil and gas lease sales encompassing 112 parcels and 58,297 acres of public lands in central and eastern Montana and North Dakota. The lawsuit says the agency failed to fully assess the potential harm oil and gas extraction would have on the area’s groundwater and ignored cumulative climate impacts.
The challenged sales occurred between July 2019 and September 2020. Earthjustice and the Western Environmental Law Center represent WildEarth Guardians, Sierra Club, the Center for Biological Diversity, Montana Environmental Information Center, and Waterkeeper Alliance in the litigation.
Feds Ignored Potential Harm to Groundwater, Climate GREAT FALLS,
Mont . A coalition of groups today challenged five Bureau of Land Management oil and gas lease sales encompassing 112 parcels and 58,297 acres of federal public lands in Montana and North Dakota. The lawsuit claims the agency failed to fully assess the potential harm oil and gas extraction would have on the area’s groundwater and ignored cumulative climate impacts. The challenged sales occurred between July 2019 and September 2020. Earthjustice and the Western Environmental Law Center represent WildEarth Guardians, Sierra Club, the Center for Biological Diversity, Montana Environmental Information Center and Waterkeeper Alliance in the litigation.
Center for Biological Diversity: BOISE, Idaho The Bureau of Land Management announced Monday that it is standing by its 2019 greater sage grouse land-use plans for seven western states, making no changes to the plans after reanalyzing them in supplemental environmental impact statements.
Governors Wind Energy Coalition
Trump Environmental Record Marked by Big Losses, Undecided Cases Source: By Ellen M. Gilmer, Bloomberg Law • Posted: Tuesday, January 12, 2021
In October 2017, President Donald Trump’s critics were celebrating. They’d won their latest fight against the new administration’s industry-friendly environmental agenda, and were confident in racking up more victories.
“It was very gratifying, but it was not unexpected,” Center for Biological Diversity attorney Michael Saul said, recalling the district court decisionthat revived Obama-era methane restrictions for the oil and gas industry.
The ruling followed twoother legal rebukes for Trump’s energy and environment policies, decisions that came down in quick succession in the early days of his term. The new administration had gotten off to a rough start in the courtroom.