Public Lands – Development of Oil and Gas on Federal Land

Case Law

The following resources represent a collection of court filings and judicial opinions regarding development of oil and gas on public lands. Furthermore, the decisions may be viewed via an online legal database using the mentioned docket number.

This list of cases is not exhaustive.

Alaska

Note: the following cases are related cases under Local Rule 40.2.

Natural Resources Defense Council et al. v. Zinke et al.
(USDC Alaska, No. 3:18-cv-00031)

• Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief (Feb. 2, 2018)
• Plaintiffs’ Motion for Summary Judgment (Jun. 4, 2018)
• Defendants’ Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment (Jul. 24, 2018)
• Order denying Plaintiffs’ Motion for Summary Judgment; granting Defendants’ Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment (Dec. 6, 2018)
• Notice of Appeal as to Order on Motion for Summary Judgment (Jan. 3, 2019)

(Ninth Circuit, No. 19-35006)

• Memorandum (affirmed the district court’s grant of summary judgment in favor of Defendants) (Jul. 9, 2020)
• Appellants’ Petition for Rehearing en Banc (Aug. 24, 2020)
• Order denying Petition for Rehearing en Banc (Sep. 16, 2020)

Northern Alaska Environmental Center et al. v. U.S. Department of the Interior et al.
(USDC Alaska, No. 3:18-cv-00030)

• Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief (Feb. 2, 2018)
• Amended Complaint (May 21, 2018)
• Memorandum in Support of Plaintiffs’ Motion for Summary Judgment (Jun. 4, 2018)
• Defendants’ Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment (Jul. 24, 2018)
• Order denying Plaintiffs’ Motion for Summary Judgment; granting Defendants’ Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment (Dec. 6, 2018)
• Notice of Appeal (Jan. 3, 2019)

(Ninth Circuit, No. 19-35008)

• Opinion (affirmed the district court’s summary judgment in favor of defendants) (Jul. 9, 2020)
• Appellants’ Petition for Rehearing en Banc (Aug. 21, 2020)

Northern Alaska Environmental Center et al. v. U.S. Dept of the Interior et al.
(USDC Alaska, No. 3:19-cv-00055)

• Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief (Mar. 1, 2019)
• Plaintiffs’ Joint Motion to Stay Proceedings (Apr. 1, 2019)
• Order granting Motion to Stay (Apr. 2, 2019)

Northern Alaska Environmental Center et al. v. U.S. Dept. of the Interior et al.
(USDC Alaska, No. 3:20-cv-00114)

• Complaint (May 15, 2020)
• Plaintiffs’ Joint Motion to Stay (May 28, 2020)
• Order granting Motion to Stay (May 29, 2020)

Arizona

Center for Biological Diversity et al. v. Raymond Suazo et al.
(USDC Arizona, No. 3:19-cv-08204)

• Complaint (Jul. 15, 2019)
• Amended Complaint (Oct. 1, 2019)
• Stipulation of dismissal without prejudice (Feb. 18, 2020)
• Order dismissing the case without prejudice (Feb. 19, 2020)

Idaho

Western Watersheds Project et al. v. Zinke et al.
(USDC Idaho, No. 1:18-cv-00187)

• Complaint (Apr. 30, 2018)
• Amended Complaint (Oct. 17, 2018)
• Second Amended Complaint (Aug. 30, 2019)

Note: due to the procedural complexity and length of this case, we advise to consult the file via an online legal database using the mentioned docket number.

Montana 

Wildearth Guardians et al. v. BLM et al.
(USDC Montana, No. 4:18-cv-0073)

• Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief (May 15, 2018)
• Memorandum in Support of Plaintiffs’ Motion for Summary Judgment (Feb. 22, 2019)
• Defendants’ Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment (Apr. 8, 2019)
• Order vacating the findings of no significant impact and leases at issue, and remanding the matter to BLM for further analysis (May 1, 2020)

Nevada

Center for Biological Diversity et al. v. BLM et al.
(USDC Nevada, No. 3:17-cv-00553)

• Complaint (Sep. 11, 2017)
• First Amended Complaint (Nov. 20, 2017)
• Plaintiffs’ Motion for Summary Judgment (Jun. 22, 2018)
• Defendants’ Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment (Aug. 22, 2018)
• Order dismissing case (Plaintiffs’ Motion for Summary Judgment is denied; Defendants’ Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment is granted) (Jan. 15, 2019)
• Judgment entered in favor of Defendants (Aug. 15, 2019)

 New Mexico

Western Energy Alliance et al. v. Jewell et al.
(USDC New Mexico, No. 1:16-cv-00912)

• Complaint (Aug. 11, 2016)
• Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss for Lack of Jurisdiction Counts II and III (Nov. 9, 2016)
• Memorandum Opinion and Order denying Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss Counts II and III (Jan. 13, 2017)
• Order striking Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss for Lack of Jurisdiction (Jan. 13, 2017)
• Plaintiffs’ Stipulation of Partial Dismissal (Counts II and III) (Feb. 1, 2018)
• Plaintiffs’ Stipulation of Dismissal (Jul. 30, 2018)

San Juan Citizens Alliance et al. v. BLM et al.
(USDC New Mexico, No. 1:16-cv-00376)

• Complaint (May 3, 2016)
• Plaintiffs’ Motion for Summary Judgment (Nov. 18, 2016)
• Memorandum Opinion & Order setting aside the finding of no significant impact and remanding the matter to BLM for further analysis (Jun. 14, 2018)
• Judgment in favor of Plaintiffs (Jun. 14, 2018)
• Notice of Appeal as to Judgment and Memorandum Opinion & Order (Aug. 13, 2018)

(Tenth Circuit, No. 18-2119)

• Appellants’ Motion for Voluntary Dismissal of Appeal (Oct. 26, 2018)
• Procedural termination without judicial action (Oct. 26, 2018)

Utah

Friends of Cedar Mesa v. U.S. Dept. of the Interior et al.
(USDC Utah, No. 4:19-cv-00013)

• Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief (Feb. 6, 2019)
• Order granting Motion to Consolidate Related Case: Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance v. Dernhardt et al. to this case (May 6, 2019)
• First Amended Complaint (May 17, 2019)
• Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss for Lack of Jurisdiction (Aug. 8, 2019)
• Memorandum Decision and Order granting Motion to Dismiss for Lack of Jurisdiction (Mar. 2, 2020)
• Judgment dismissing the case without prejudice (Mar. 2, 2020)

Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance v. Dernhardt et al.
(USDC Utah, No. 2:19-cv-00266)

• Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief (Apr. 19, 2019)

Note: this case is consolidated with Friends of Cedar Mesa v. U.S Dept. of the Interior et al., No. 4:19-cv-00013.

Wyoming

Independent Petroleum Association of America et al. v. Jewell et al.
(USDC Wyoming, No. 2:15-cv-00041)

• Petition for Review (Mar. 20, 2015)
• Memorandum in Support of Plaintiffs’ Motion for Preliminary Injunction (May 15, 2015) 
• Joint Motion to Consolidate Cases for Trial (Jun. 3, 2015)
• Order granting Joint Motion to Consolidate this case with State of Wyoming v. U.S. Department of the Interior et al., No. 2:15-cv-00043 (Jun. 4, 2015)

State of Wyoming v. U.S. Department of the Interior et al.
(USDC Wyoming, No. 2:15-cv-00043)

• Petition for Review filed by State of Wyoming (Mar. 26, 2015)
• Petition for Review filed by State of North Dakota (Apr. 22, 2015)
• First Amended Petition for Review filed by State of Colorado, State of Wyoming (Apr. 22, 2015)
• Memorandum in Support of Wyoming and Colorado’s Motion for Preliminary Injunction (May 29, 2015)
• Memorandum in Support of North Dakota’s Motion for Preliminary Injunction (Jun. 8, 2015)
• Order granting Motions for Preliminary Injunction filed by State of Colorado, North Dakota and Wyoming (Sep. 30, 2015)
• Notice of Appeal as to Order granting Motions for Preliminary Injunction (Nov. 27, 2015)
• Judgment in favor of Petitioners (Jun. 22, 2016) (The Court holds the Fracking Rule is unlawful, and it is ordered that the BLM’s final rule related to hydraulic fracturing on federal and Indian lands)
• Notice of Appeal as to Judgment (Jun. 24, 2016)
• Order dismissing the case without prejudice (Nov. 6, 2018)

(Tenth Circuit, No. 15-8126)

• Order (remanding with instructions to vacate the September 30, 2015 Order granting the preliminary injunctions) (Jul. 13, 2016)

(Tenth Circuit, No. 16-8068, 16-8069)

• Judgment dismissing appeals, vacating the district court’s judgment invalidating the Fracking regulation, and remanding with instructions to dismiss the underlying action without prejudice (Sep. 21, 2017)