"A federal appeals court on Tuesday ruled two Trump-era Interior Department oil leases in the Gulf of Mexico were unlawful.
In the ruling, Judge Gregory C. Katsas of the Washington, D.C., Court of Appeals found the department in 2018 leased more than 150 million acres for oil exploration without properly analyzing the risk under the National Environmental Policy Act. The lease sales, 250 and 251, were among 11 proposed by the department in its 2017 five-year plan.
In a lawsuit following the sales, a coalition of environmental groups argued the Trump administration’s evaluation had erroneously presumed adequate endorsement of safety and environmental procedures in the Gulf. A D.C. court sided with the Interior Department on April 20, prompting an appeal by the plaintiffs.
Plaintiffs in the case include Earthjustice, the Sierra Club and the Center for Biological Diversity."
Zack Budryk reports for The Hill August 30, 2022.
SEE ALSO:
"Court Faults NEPA Review For 2 Trump Offshore Lease Sales" (E&E News)
Advertisement 
