February 8, 2023 – Seventeen groups represented by Earthjustice and the Western Environmental Law Center moved to intervene today to defend the Biden administration’s postponement of several oil and gas lease sales. A September ruling in U.S. District Court in Wyoming affirmed the administration’s ability to postpone lease sales, but the state of Wyoming and industry groups […]
Western Environmental Law Center
Posted inUS
White House NEPA Phase One Final Rule: Important first step, next phase crucial
Today, in a necessary first step, the Biden administration’s Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) finalized Phase One rulemaking for the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), restoring some protections removed by the previous administration. However, many important provisions of the original 1978 regulations that were eliminated in 2020 are not included in today’s rulemaking. In […]
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House passes resolution to reinstate methane pollution safeguards
Today, the US House of Representatives passed (229 to 191) a resolution that would reinstate the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2016 methane pollution safeguards for the oil and gas industry. The Senate passed a similar resolution in April. Methane, the primary component of fracked gas, is a climate pollutant that is 87 times more powerful than […]
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USFWS: Northern spotted owls are endangered, but we’re too busy to help
December 14, 2020 – Today, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service published a finding on the northern spotted owl’s listing status, spurred by a lawsuit filed last week by wildlife advocates. The finding states “reclassification of the northern spotted owl from a threatened species to an endangered species is warranted but precluded by higher priority […]
Posted inEnviro
Missing lynx: Advocates challenge Feds’ refusal to prepare recovery plan
December 1, 2020 – Today, a coalition of conservation organizations filed a complaint in federal court challenging the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (the Service’s) decision to forgo recovery planning for threatened Canada lynx. Recovery plans are important tools required by the Endangered Species Act, often referred to as the “roadmap” for conservation because […]
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Federal Court Rejects Trump Administration Cancellation of Methane Pollution Rule
SAN FRANCISCO― A federal judge late yesterday reinstated the Bureau of Land Management’s 2016 methane waste rule, aimed at protecting people and the climate from methane waste and pollution from oil and gas extraction on public lands. The ruling is the third defeat for the Trump administration’s efforts to suspend, delay or repeal the rule. The rule […]
Posted inEnviro
Trump administration re-reauthorizes wildlife-killing M-44 ‘cyanide bombs’ despite strong opposition
December 5, 2019 – After withdrawing an interim decision instituting minor restrictions on the use of sodium cyanide in wildlife-killing devices called M-44s, or “cyanide bombs,” the Trump administration today reissued a revised decision with slight modifications further restricting the use of sodium cyanide to kill wildlife. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has now, […]
Posted inRegional
California Groups Sue To Keep Motorized Electric Bikes off Non-motorized Trails in Tahoe National Forest
October 24, 2019 – Backcountry trail and forest groups in California joined together to challenge the U.S. Forest Service’s decision to allow motorized bikes to operate on non-motorized trails in the Tahoe National Forest. Plaintiffs in the suit include Backcountry Horsemen of California, Back Country Horsemen of America, the Forest Issues Group and The Wilderness […]
Posted inOp-Ed
Western Environmental Law Center: Trump administration is pro-extinction
Aug. 13, 2019 – Yesterday, the Trump administration announced sweeping changes to the way its agencies will administer the Endangered Species Act (ESA), one of the oldest, most effective, and most widely supported environmental laws in U.S. history. These changes, which seek to eviscerate the ESA, go against Congress’ explicit mandate that management rely on […]
Posted inEnviro
Judge orders feds to disclose climate impacts of public lands fracking in CO and UT
May 29, 2019 – In the wake of a legal victory by WildEarth Guardians, Physicians for Social Responsibility, and the Western Environmental Law Center, the U.S. government asked for and a federal judge ordered a climate review of the impacts of public lands fracking in Colorado and Utah. “This is another win for the climate […]
Posted inEnviro
Analysis: Public overwhelmingly wants EPA ban on wildlife-killing ‘cyanide bombs’
May 8, 2019 – More than 99.9 percent of people commenting on a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposal to reauthorize sodium cyanide in wildlife-killing devices called M-44s support a ban on these “cyanide bombs,” according to an analysis released today. Cyanide bombs inhumanely and indiscriminately kill thousands of animals every year. The analysis of public […]
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Landmark climate victory: Federal court rejects sale of public lands for fracking
Denver, CO March 20, 2019 – In a landmark victory for climate, health, and public lands, a federal judge late yesterday rejected the sale of public lands for fracking and ordered a halt to drilling on more than 300,000 acres in Wyoming. “This ruling is a triumph for our climate,” said Jeremy Nichols, WildEarth Guardians’ Climate […]
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Lawsuit Challenges Trump Administration for Gutting Methane Waste Rule
SAN FRANCISCO October 1, 2018 – A broad coalition of conservation and citizens’ groups sued the Trump administration late last Friday to challenge the Bureau of Land Management for rescinding most provisions of its 2016 methane waste rule. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court, notes Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke’s BLM illegally rescinded the rule, which […]
Posted inEnviro
Trump Administration Guts Methane Waste Rule
TAOS, NM, Sept. 18, 2018 – Today the Bureau of Land Management pre-published a rule rescinding most provisions of its 2016 methane waste rule. The original rule required oil and gas companies operating on public lands to take reasonable measures to prevent the waste of publicly owned natural gas. Gutting the rule reintroduces a known […]
Posted inEnviro
Yellowstone grizzlies: Court blocks ID, WY trophy hunts
MISSOULA, Mont. August 30, 2018 – Today, a U.S. District Court judge granted wildlife advocates’ motion for a temporary restraining order to block planned grizzly bear trophy hunts in Idaho and Wyoming for at least 14 days. This came after a hearing regarding a high-profile case over the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services’ 2017 decision […]
Posted inEnviro
Administration moves to trample taxpayers, public health, and climate via methane waste rule rollback
Feb. 13, 2018 – Late yesterday, the Bureau of Land Management issued a proposed rule rolling back core public safeguards to reduce methane waste on public lands by the oil and gas industry. The proposed revision capitulates to the worst oil and gas industry operators, undoing all meaningful provisions to reduce the waste of publicly […]
Posted inEnviro
Fish and Wildlife Services alters Canada lynx assessment to support delisting
MISSOULA, Mont. January 11, 2018 – Today, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced its intent to begin the process to remove Endangered Species Act protections for imperiled Canada lynx in the contiguous U.S. This move by one of the most anti-wildlife, anti-science, climate-denying administrations in American history shows a vicious indifference toward this iconic […]
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House Logging Bill Guts Federal Laws, Literally Privatizes Public Lands, Creates Logging Free-for-All
June 22, 2017 – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives begins its consideration of HR 2936, known as the Westerman Bill after its author, Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-AR). The bill contains a cornucopia of loopholes, exemptions and categorical exclusions for environmental, judicial, and public review; and, incredibly, gives away public lands to adjacent private landowners. […]
Posted inUS
House takes extreme measures to promote methane waste from oil and gas
Feb. 3, 2017 – In a close vote, the House of Representatives voted today to repeal a popular, common-sense Bureau of Management rule limiting methane waste by oil and gas companies on public and tribal lands. This was made possible by the Congressional Review Act, an obscure, last-resort tool used successfully only once in American […]
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Terry Tempest Williams & Brooke Williams appeal to Interior Board of Land Appeals over oil and gas lease purchase
Castle Valley, Utah November 17, 2016 – Today, on behalf of Terry Tempest Williams and Brooke Williams, the Western Environmental Law Center administratively challenged the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) rejection of the Tempest Exploration Company’s October 2016 bids on oil and gas leases in Utah. WELC filed the appeal with the Interior Board of […]