On December 10, 2021, the Biden Administration released the Fall 2021 Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions (Unified Agenda), which is a semi-annual compilation of information concerning regulations and policy...more
12/21/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Conservation ,
Critical Habitat ,
Department of the Interior ,
Endangered Species ,
Endangered Species Act (ESA) ,
Environmental Policies ,
Habitat Conservation Plan ,
National Marine Fisheries Service ,
Nationwide Permits (NWPs) ,
NEPA ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Reform ,
US Fish and Wildlife Service
On December 15, 2020, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service (collectively, the agencies) released a pre-publication version of a final rule providing a definition of “habitat” for the...more
12/17/2020
/ Conservation ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Critical Habitat ,
Endangered Species ,
Endangered Species Act (ESA) ,
Environmental Policies ,
ESA Listings ,
Habitat Conservation Plan ,
National Marine Fisheries Service ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Regulatory Reform ,
US Fish and Wildlife Service
On September 8, 2020, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) published a proposed rule codifying procedures for excluding areas of “critical habitat” under section 4 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). ESA section...more
9/10/2020
/ Comment Period ,
Conservation ,
Critical Habitat ,
Endangered Species ,
Endangered Species Act (ESA) ,
Environmental Policies ,
ESA Listings ,
Habitat Conservation Plan ,
National Marine Fisheries Service ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Rulemaking Process ,
US Fish and Wildlife Service ,
Weyerhaeuser Company v United States Fish and Wildlife Service
On April 15, 2020, the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana issued an order that could impact energy and development projects across the United States. ...more
Many projects require federal incidental take authority due to impacts on species listed under the federal Endangered Species Act (“ESA”). Depending upon the species, this federal take authority is obtained either from the...more
Yesterday, in Center for Biological Diversity v. Everson?, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia overturned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) decision to list the northern long-eared bat...more
1/29/2020
/ Center for Biological Diversity ,
Chevron Deference ,
Chevron v NRDC ,
Conservation ,
Critical Habitat ,
Deregulation ,
Endangered Species ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Review ,
ESA Listings ,
Habitat Conservation Plan ,
National Marine Fisheries Service ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Remand ,
Rulemaking Process ,
US Fish and Wildlife Service ,
Vacated
On December 27, 2017, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit partially reversed and remanded a decision by the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii, delaying if not derailing an expansion in...more
1/3/2018
/ Appeals ,
Critical Habitat ,
Endangered Species ,
Endangered Species Act (ESA) ,
Environmental Claims ,
Environmental Policies ,
Fishing Industry ,
Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) ,
National Marine Fisheries Service ,
NEPA ,
Policy Violations ,
Remand ,
Reversal ,
US Fish and Wildlife Service
On July 19, 2017, the House Committee on Natural Resources held a full committee legislative hearing on five bills that would amend portions of the Endangered Species Act (ESA)....more
7/21/2017
/ Attorney's Fees ,
Congressional Committees ,
Congressional Investigations & Hearings ,
Critical Habitat ,
Department of the Interior ,
Endangered Species ,
Endangered Species Act (ESA) ,
ESA Listings ,
Habitat Conservation Plan ,
National Marine Fisheries Service ,
Natural Resources ,
Proposed Legislation ,
US Fish and Wildlife Service
On October 24, 2016, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit upheld the National Marine Fisheries Service (Service) determination listing the Beringia Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of the Bearded Seal...more
On September 19, 2016, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) published proposed rules to list two species of dolphin and two species of guitarfish under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). NMFS proposes to list the...more
On February 5, 2016, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service (collectively, the “Services”) announced the availability of two final rules and one policy addressing critical habitat under the...more
On August 31, 2015, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia largely upheld the National Marine Fisheries Service’s (Service) Biological Opinion (BiOp) addressing the impacts of seven fisheries on the Northwest...more