Across Big Sky Flow Testing, LLC v. Workforce Safety & Insurance
The North Dakota Supreme Court upheld an administrative law judge's (ALJ's) award of benefits in the death of an oil-tank worker. According to the medical examiner's report, the worker died from hydrocarbon poisoning due to the inhalation of petroleum vapors from oil storage tanks. His employer argu...
Dart Cherokee Basin Operating Co. v. Owens
The U.S. Supreme Court held that a district court erred in remanding to state court landowners' class action lawsuit seeking compensation for damages they sustained when an energy company allegedly underpaid royalties due under certain oil and gas leases. The lawsuit was originally filed in state co...
Parish of Plaquemines v. Total Petrochemical & Refining USA, Inc.
A district court remanded to state court a Louisiana parish's lawsuit against 19 oil and gas companies for alleged environmental damages stemming from the companies' exploration, production, and transportation activities. The parish claims these operations were conducted in violation of the State an...
Smith v. Illinois Department of Natural Resources
An Illinois court denied residents' motion to preliminarily enjoin the state's proposed hydraulic fracturing rules from going into effect. Illinois' environmental agency promulgated the rules under the state Hydraulic Fracturing Regulatory Act on November 14, 2014, but they will not go into effect u...
Cleveland National Forest Foundation v. San Diego Association of Governments
A California appellate court held that the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) failed to adequately consider greenhouse gas emissions impacts in violation of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) during its preparation of its 2050 regional transportation plan. A lower court ruled...