Powder River Basin Resource Council v. U.S. Dep't of Interior
A district court granted in part environmental groups' motion for summary judgment in a challenge to BLM's approval of an oil and gas project in Wyoming. The groups argued BLM violated NEPA, the APA, FLPMA, and the Mineral Leasing Act in approving the project and in approving hundred of applications...
Friends of the Floridas v. United States Bureau of Land Management
A district court largely upheld BLM's approval of a proposed dolomite mining project near the Florida Mountains in New Mexico. Environmental groups challenged the approval, arguing BLM violated NEPA by failing to adequately consider adverse effects on water, air, wildlife, a wilderness study area, a...
Hualapai Indian Tribe v. Haaland
A district court granted an Indian tribe's motion for a temporary restraining order (TRO) in a challenge to BLM's approval of a lithium mine exploration project in Arizona. The tribe argued BLM violated the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) when it found that no historical properties were af...
Supreme Court Overrules Chevron
On June 28, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court overruled Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council, concluding that courts have a constitutional and statutory obligation to exercise their “independent judgment” when deciding whether a federal administrative agency has acted within its statutory authority. As Justice Neil Gorsuch noted in concurrence, the Court’s decision “places a tombstone on Chevron no one can miss.” This Comment discusses the Court’s decision and its implications for legal challenges to federal agency actions.
Interstate Natural Gas Ass'n of America v. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
The D.C. Circuit granted in part and denied in part a trade group's petition to review the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration's (PHMSA's) 2022 revised safety standards for natural gas transportation. The group challenged five of the standards, alleging flaws in the rulemaking pro...