Good news on the Energy front
From the
New York Times:
Federal Judge Throws Out Obama Drilling Rules
A judge on Friday threw out Obama administration rules that sought to slow down expedited environmental review of oil and gas drilling on federal land.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Freudenthal ruled in favor of a petroleum industry group, the Western Energy Alliance, in its lawsuit against the federal government, including Interior Secretary Ken Salazar.
The ruling reinstates Bush-era expedited oil and gas drilling under provisions called categorical exclusions on federal lands nationwide, Freudenthal said.
The government argued that oil and gas companies had no case because they didn't show how the new rules, implemented by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service last year, had created delays and added to the cost of drilling.
Freudenthal rejected that argument.
"Western Energy has demonstrated through its members recognizable injury," she said. "Those injuries are supported by the administrative record."
Interior will drag their feet for as long as possible but it is nice to see the checks and balances are functioning as they should...
Posted by DaveH at August 12, 2011 5:54 PM