Description: Challenge to approval of resource management plan in Colorado making public land available for oil and gas leasing and development.
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Wilderness Workshop v. U.S. Bureau of Land Management
Case Documents:
Filing Date Type File Action Taken Summary 10/17/2018 Memorandum Opinion and Order Download Memorandum opinion and order issued finding some deficiencies in NEPA analysis. Colorado Federal Court Found Some Shortcomings in Assessment of Greenhouse Gas Impacts in NEPA Review for Resource Management Plans. The federal district court for the District of Colorado found that the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM’s) environmental review for a Resource Management Plan for the Glenwood Springs Resource Area in Colorado failed to take a hard look at indirect effects of greenhouse gas emissions from combustion of oil and gas development in the planning area. The court also found, however, that BLM “took an appropriately hard look at the cumulative climate change impacts” and that the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) did not require BLM to perform a cost-benefit analysis to take into account the “economic downsides” of greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, the court concluded that BLM had taken a sufficiently hard look at the issues of methane emissions and impacts of oil and gas development on human health but found that it had not considered reasonable alternatives to oil and gas development. 07/18/2016 Petition for Review Download Petition for review of agency action filed.