Dine Citizens Against Ruining Our Env't v. Bernhardt

Full Case Name
DINE CITIZENS AGAINST RUINING OUR ENVIRONMENT; San Juan Citizens Alliance; WildEarth Guardians; Natural Resources Defense Council, Plaintiffs-Appellants, v. David BERNHARDT, in His Official Capacity as Acting Secretary of the United States Department of the Interior; United States Bureau of Land Management, an Agency Within the United States Department of the Interior; Neil Kornze, in His Official Capacity as Director of the United States Bureau of Land Management, Defendants-Appellees, and DJR Energy Holdings, LLC; BP America Production Company; American Petroleum Institute; Anschutz Exploration Corporation; Enduring Resources IV, LLC, Intervenor Defendants-Appellees, and ConocoPhillips Company; Burlington Resources Oil & Gas Company LP, Intervenor Defendants. All Pueblo Council of Governors; National Trust for Historic Preservation; Navajo Allottees; Alice Benally; Lilly Comanche; Virginia Harrison ; Samuel Harrison; Dolora Hesuse; Verna Martinez; Loyce Phoenix, Amici Curiae.
Description

Environmental activists brought action against federal government challenging Bureau of Land Management (BLM) approval of applications for permit to drill fracked wells on public lands, alleging that BLM violated the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Nationa Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). District Court judged in favor of BLM; activists appealed. Activists had standing to bring action; environmental assessments adequately analyzed cumulative effects of granting drill applications as required by NEPA; activists failed to show BLM acted arbitrarily or capriciously.

Cite
923 F.3d 831
Date
05-07-2019
Court
United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
Jurisdiction
United States
URL
https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/4617344/dine-citizens-against-ruining-our…
Plaintiffs
Indigenous
Non-governmental organization
Defendants
Other Governmental Entity
Incident Location
San Juan County, NM; McKinley County, NM
Disputed Act

Environmental activists brought action against federal government challenging Bureau of Land Management (BLM) approval of applications for permit to drill fracked wells on public lands, alleging that BLM violated the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Nationa Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). District Court judged in favor of BLM; activists appealed.

Holding
Activists had standing to bring action; environmental assessments adequately analyzed cumulative effects of granting drill applications as required by NEPA; activists failed to show BLM acted arbitrarily or capriciously.
Disposition
affirmed in part
reversed in part
remanded
general illumination
artificial light
construction lighting