The court holds that the take provision of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), as applied to landowners, does not violate the U.S. Commerce Clause. After purchasing property, the landowners sought to develop it, but were prevented from doing so because of the restrictions placed on the land under the ...

The court holds that the Endangered Species Act's (ESA's) application to private lands in order to protect an endangered species that lives entirely within one state does not violate the U.S. Commerce Clause. The court first holds that the regulated activity in question—construction of a housing d...

The court holds that the Mineral Management Service (MMS) did not violate the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) in promulgating a development and production plan (DPP) under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) for an oil and gas development project located off the north coast of Ala...

The court holds that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) acted in an arbitrary and capricious manner by issuing incidental take statements imposing terms and conditions on grazing permits sought by a cattle growers' association where there was either no evidence that the endangered species exis...

The court denies an environmental group's motion to preliminarily enjoin construction of a development project in Louisiana until the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers prepares an environmental impact statement for the project. The court first holds that the Corps' finding of no significant impact for th...

The court holds that the U.S. Forest Service's environmental impact statement (EIS) for a post-fire logging project on the Six Rivers National Forest violated the National Environmental Policy Act and the National Forest Management Act (NFMA) and, therefore, enjoins the Forest Service from any furth...

The court holds that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) failed to adequately consider the cumulative impacts on the natural quiet of Zion National Park in its environmental assessment (EA) for a nearby airport expansion project. The court first holds that the FAA's EA failed to address the to...

The court affirms a district court decision requiring the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) and to issue a critical habitat designation for the Rio Grande Silvery Minnow within 120 days. In 1994, the minnow was listed as an endangered species. FW...

The court holds that the federal government failed to show how limiting permits for eagle feathers only to members of federally recognized tribes is the least restrictive means of advancing the government's interests in preserving eagle populations and protecting Native American culture. An individu...

The court holds that two U.S. Forest Service (Forest Service) timber sales in the Boise National Forest in Idaho violated the National Forest Management Act (NFMA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Environmental groups brought suit against the Forest Service seeking to enjoin the sal...