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The Climate Litigation Database
Collection

Powder River Basin Resource Council v. U.S. Department of the Interior

Powder River Basin Resource Council v. U.S. Department of the Interior ↗

1:22-cv-02696D.D.C.13 entries
Filing Date
Type
Action Taken
Document
Summary
09/13/2024
Decision
Plaintiffs' motion for summary judgment granted in part and further approvals of applications for permits to drill enjoined until court rules on remedy.
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In a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM’s) approval of the Converse County Oil and Gas Project, the federal district court for the District of Columbia ruled that BLM’s consideration of groundwater impacts in the environmental impact statement for the project was inadequate. The project covers approximately 52,667 acres of BLM-administered surface and federal mineral estate in Wyoming and would result in the drilling of approximately 5,000 wells over 10 years. The court’s decision did not address the plaintiffs’ arguments regarding deficiencies in the analysis of impacts on cumulative greenhouse gas emissions and the failure to consider all reasonable alternatives, including a greenhouse gas reduction alternative. The court ordered additional briefing on remedy and enjoined approvals of applications for permits to drill until a ruling on remedy.
05/16/2024
Reply
Plaintiffs filed combined reply in support of summary judgment motion and response to cross-motions for summary judgment.
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01/26/2024
Motion For Summary Judgment
Memorandum of points and authorities filed in support of plaintiffs' summary judgment motion.
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11/06/2023
Decision
Motion for a preliminary injunction denied, private intervenors' motion to transfer denied, and private intervenors' motion to dismiss granted in part.
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The federal district court for the District of Columbia concluded that two conservation organizations had standing to challenge the U.S. Department of the Interior’s record of decision for the Converse County Oil and Gas Project, which authorized 5,000 new oil wells in the Powder River Basin. The court also concluded, however, that the organizations lacked standing to challenge separately approved applications for permit to drill (APDs). The court denied the organizations’ motion for a preliminary injunction, finding that they did not demonstrate a likelihood of success on the merits of any of the claims, including claims that the Bureau of Land Management’s analysis of cumulative effects was deficient because it did not quantify greenhouse gas emissions from other projects in the region. In addition, the court found that the organizations failed to demonstrate imminent and irreparable harm and that the equities weighed against preliminary equitable relief. The court also denied a request by private intervenors’ motion to transfer the lawsuit to the District of Wyoming.