Western Watersheds Project v. Haaland

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that some, but not all, of the lease sales violated the National Environmental Policy Act and that all the lease sales violated the Federal Land Policy and Management Act. The court further concluded, however, that the district court had abused its discretion by "setting aside" or vacating the lease sales because vacatur's "disruptive consequences ... significantly outweigh the seriousness of the agency's procedural error." The Ninth Circuit directed that all surface-disturbing activity should be enjoined while the Bureau of Land Management reconsidered the lease decisions with appropriate public participation.