drilling

Legal Filing Targets North Dakota’s Latest Lawsuit to Force More Oil, Gas Lease Sales on Public Lands

BISMARCK, ND — Climate and conservation groups defended the Biden administration in a brief

Conservation Groups to Defend Biden Administration Postponement of Oil, Gas Lease Sales 

Casper, WY – Seventeen groups represented by Earthjustice and the Western Environmental Law Center moved to intervene today to defend the Biden administration’s postponement of several oil and gas lease sales.

Federal appeals court rejects oil and gas drilling and fracking in northwest New Mexico’s Greater Chaco region

A federal appeals court yesterday rejected the Biden administration’s defense of unchecked oil and gas fracking in the Greater Chaco region of northwest New Mexico, ruling the U.S. Interior Department flouted the law when approving 199 drilling permits in the culturally significant landscape.

Willow Project Would Be a Disaster for Alaska and the Climate

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Department of the Interior issued a key environmental assessment regarding ConocoPhillips’ oil and gas operation in the Western Arctic, commonly called the Willow project.

Legal Agreements Block Drilling, Fracking Across 1 Million Acres in Central California

Community and conservation groups and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management reached an agreement today to suspend new oil and gas leasing across more than 1 million acres of public lands in California’s Central Valley and Central Coast.

Oil Wells Leaking Dangerous Amounts of Methane Found In Northeast Bakersfield Near Homes and Elementary School

An inspector from the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District confirmed that two idled oil wells next to residential neighborhoods in Bakersfield are leaking massive volumes of methane. One well showed emissions at a minimum of 50,000 parts per million (ppm), the maximum level the inspector’s device could record, and another well at the same site is leaking methane at or over 20,000 ppm.

States to Receive Funding for Much-Needed Cleanup of Orphaned Oil and Gas Wells

Today, the Department of the Interior announced $1.15 billion in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for states to clean up inactive oil and gas wells on federal lands.

Biden Administration Rolls Back Disastrous Trump Drilling Plan for Western Arctic

The Biden administration announced yesterday that it will reverse a Trump administration policy that opened up millions of acres in the Western Arctic for oil drilling.

Sierra Club Applauds Reforms to Interior’s Oil and Gas Leasing Program

Today, the Department of the Interior released its final report calling for reforms of the current fossil fuel leasing program on public lands and offshore.

Biden Administration Defers Public Lands Lease Sales to Conduct Environmental Review

Today, the Bureau of Land Management announced a plan to defer a number of leases from upcoming onshore oil and gas lease sales and issue draft environmental assessments for these leases. BLM will solicit feedback on the leases and analyze environmental impacts including national greenhouse gas emissions and the social cost of greenhouse gases.

Sierra Club and Allies Release Statement on Newsom Administration’s New 3,200-foot Setback Distance Draft Rule to Protect Communities from Harmful Oil Operations

Today, Governor Newsom announced that the California Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM) has issued new draft health and safety rules requiring that newly constructed oil and gas extraction sites must be at least 3,200 feet from California homes, schools, and public parks. This first of its kind draft rule is one of the longest setback distances in the nation, and will help guard Californian communities from toxic pollution from oil and gas wells.

Lawsuit Challenges Gold Drilling in Sage Grouse Habitat in California’s Eastern Sierra Nevada

Conservation groups sued the U.S. Forest Service today to stop exploratory drilling in California’s eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains that threatens an endangered fish and a dwindling population of bi-state sage grouse.