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The Climate Litigation Database

Columbia Riverkeeper v. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

About this case

Filing year
2024
Status
Petitions transferred to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Docket number
24-1002
Court/admin entity
United StatesUnited States Federal CourtsD.C. Cir.
Case category
Federal Statutory ClaimsNEPAFederal Statutory ClaimsOther Statutes and Regulations
Principal law
United StatesAdministrative Procedure Act (APA)United StatesNational Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)United StatesNatural Gas Act
At issue
Challenges by developer, environmental groups, and states to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission authorizations for natural gas compression facilities in Idaho, Washington, and Oregon to enable expansion of pipeline system transportation capacity.

Documents

Filing Date
Type
Action Taken
Summary
Document
05/13/2024
Decision
Petitions transferred to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.
01/04/2024
Petition
Petition for review filed.
Two petitions for review were filed challenging the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC’s) authorization for natural gas compression facilities in Idaho, Washington, and Oregon to enable expansion of pipeline system transportation capacity. The project’s developer <a href="https://climatecasechart.com/case/gas-transmission-northwest-llc-v-federal-energy-regulatory-commission/">challenged</a> the authorization (to the extent it was adverse to the developer) in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. Environmental groups challenged the authorization in the D.C. Circuit. FERC submitted a notice of multicircuit petitions to the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML), and the JPML’s clerk selected the D.C. Circuit as the court in which to consolidate the petitions. The developer filed a motion to reconsider, arguing that the environmental groups’ petition did not meet requirements to trigger a multicircuit lottery.

Summary

Challenges by developer, environmental groups, and states to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission authorizations for natural gas compression facilities in Idaho, Washington, and Oregon to enable expansion of pipeline system transportation capacity.