BACKGROUND: On August 4, 2020, President Donald Trump signed into law “The Great American Outdoors Act” (the “Act”) after it was passed by U.S. Congress. The Act permanently funds the Land and Water Conservation Fund (“LWCF”)...more
The US Supreme Court held that the National Park Service’s responsibility over the Appalachian Trail did not incorporate that land into the National Park System, leaving the Forest Service with the authority to grant the...more
Supreme Court Lifts Key Obstacle to Atlantic Coast Pipeline, but More Challenges Remain - "The U.S. Supreme Court has reversed a lower court ruling that held up construction on the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, which would...more
“Sometimes a complicated regulatory scheme may cause us to miss the forest for the trees, but at bottom, these cases boil down to a simple proposition: A trail is a trail, and land is land.” Justice Thomas, Opinion of the...more
The latest battlefield in the American pipeline wars is one of the most celebrated, venerable and scenic places in the United States - the Appalachian Trail. Stretching about 2,200 miles from Maine to Georgia, the Appalachian...more
On February 24, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments on a critical permit needed for completion of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, a controversial natural gas pipeline crossing the Appalachian Trail. Supporters of the...more
Federal Agency Halts All Work on Atlantic Coast Pipeline After Judges Revoke Permits - "The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission sent a letter to Dominion Energy, the company leading construction of the 600-mile pipeline,...more
The National Park Service (“NPS”) today proposed a major overhaul of its regulations for non-federal oil and gas operations in National Park units. See 80 Fed. Reg. 65,572 (Oct. 26, 2015). Although the NPS press statement...more
Environmental and Policy Focus: U.S. EPA settles case over destruction of rare Central Valley wetlands: EPA - Aug 14: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Justice today announced a...more