FEMA denied a request by the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources (“LDNR”) for assistance restoring barrier islands following Hurricanes Rita and Katrina. LDNR appealed the decision via arbitration, but the arbitral panel upheld FEMA’s denial and dismissed the arbitration entirely. LDNR moved for reconsideration on the grounds the panel did not provide LDNR an opportunity for oral presentation and did not have all the available evidence at the time it made its decision. The panel denied reconsideration because LDNR failed to indicate any new evidence it intended to produce or prove that any such evidence would be material and change the arbitral outcome.

In a lawsuit, LDNR sought vacatur of the panel’s denial of reconsideration—not the underlying arbitral award. The district court refused to vacate the decision and LDNR appealed. The Fifth Circuit declined to disturb the district court’s decision. Because LDNR did not challenge the arbitral panel’s merits decision, the court narrowly reviewed the denial of reconsideration for whether the panel deprived LDNR of a fair hearing. The court concluded that LDNR failed to show the arbitral panel refused to hear any of its evidence, failed to claim any of that evidence was even material, and failed to demonstrate any prejudice as a result.

La. Dep’t of Natural Res. v. Fed. Emergency Mgmt. Agency, No. 17-30140 (5th Cir. Jan. 29, 2018).