Description: Challenge to authorization and issuance of oil and gas leases on 30 parcels covering nearly 41,000 acres of land in the San Juan Basin in New Mexico.
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Diné Citizens Against Ruining Our Environment v. U.S. Bureau of Land Management
Case Documents:
Filing Date Type File Action Taken Summary 08/11/2022 Stipulation Download Joint stipulation of dismissal with prejudice filed. Lawsuit Challenging New Mexico Oil and Gas Leasing Decisions Dismissed After BLM Reaffirmed Decisions. Conservation groups and federal defendants filed a joint stipulation for dismissal of the groups’ lawsuit challenging oil and gas leasing decisions for public lands in New Mexico. Pursuant to an April 2022 settlement agreement, BLM had agreed to review the challenged decisions and prepare supplemental environmental assessments. On August 1, 2022, BLM issued decision records affirming the previous decisions to issue the lease parcels. Under the April settlement agreement, any challenge to the new decisions must be made in a new action. 04/01/2022 Settlement Agreement Download Settlement agreement filed. 01/19/2022 Motion Download Motion for preliminary injunction and supporting memorandum filed. 12/21/2021 Motion Download Motion for voluntary remand without vacatur filed by federal defendants. 01/19/2021 Petition for Review Download Unopposed motion filed by plaintiffs to file supplemental petition for review of agency action. Group Sought to Challenge Additional Oil and Gas Lease Sales in New Mexico. Diné Citizens Against Ruining the Environment (Diné CARE) filed an unopposed motion to file a supplemental complaint that would challenge additional oil and gas lease sales in the Greater Chaco region in New Mexico. The proposed supplemental complaint would challenge 42 total parcels covering approximately 45,000 acres. Diné CARE asserted that the U.S. Bureau of Land Management failed to take a hard look at cumulative greenhouse gas emissions and cumulative climate change impacts, failed to take a hard look at health and environmental justice impacts, and should have prepared an environmental impact statement. Diné CARE also asserted a failure to comply with public participation requirements under NEPA and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act. 09/25/2020 Motion to Intervene Download Motion to intervene filed by EOG Resources, Inc. 07/09/2020 Petition for Review Download Complaint filed. Plaintiffs Said BLM Failed to Consider Oil and Gas Leases’ Cumulative Climate Impacts. Four organizations filed a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Bureau of Land Management's authorization and issuance of oil and gas leases on 30 parcels covering nearly 41,000 acres of land in the San Juan Basin in New Mexico. The organizations asserted violations of the National Environmental Policy Act, the Administrative Procedure Act, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act. The plaintiffs alleged a failure to take a hard look at environmental impacts, including cumulative greenhouse gas emissions and cumulative climate change impacts.