News & Updates

Law requires Biden to cancel February oil lease sale to prevent climate harm

Dec 10, 2021

Conservation groups submitted formal comments today urging cancelation of February’s federal oil and gas lease auctions, saying the Biden administration is legally required to prevent harm from the leasing program’s greenhouse gas emissions, not just disclose it. “The...

Lawsuit targets EPA failure to clean up pollution in Puget Sound

Dec 7, 2021

Citing agency “foot-dragging” in cleaning up Puget Sound, an environmental organization sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in federal court today. The lawsuit challenges EPA’s failure to take a key step towards cleaning up nitrogen pollution in Puget...

Conservation groups seek records on climate failure of Biden oil, gas review

Dec 2, 2021

Climate and conservation groups filed a Freedom of Information Act request today seeking public records from the Interior Department relating to its recent report reviewing the federal oil and gas leasing programs that presumes expanded leasing. “This flimsy report...

After Years of legal advocacy, community organizing, Jordan Cove LNG export terminal and pipeline is dead

Dec 2, 2021

Pembina, the Canadian company that tried to impose a fracked gas pipeline and export terminal on communities across Southern Oregon, today filed a formal request asking the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to cancel its permit for the project. The company’s...

ADVISORY: WELC director to testify on oil and gas at U.S. House Energy and Natural Resources oversight hearing

Nov 30, 2021

On Thursday, December 2, Western Environmental Law Center Executive Director Erik Schlenker-Goodrich will testify before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources at an oversight hearing titled...

Biden administration lobs weak oil and gas leasing report the day after Thanksgiving

Nov 26, 2021

Today, the Biden administration released its long-promised “comprehensive review” of the federal public lands oil and gas leasing system. Issuing news releases on Friday, the slowest news day of the week, is a media strategy to kill news. Today, the Biden...

Conservation groups relieved protections will remain for 3.4 million acres of critical northern spotted owl habitat

Nov 9, 2021

Conservation groups in the Pacific Northwest have expressed relief that a final rule issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Fish and Wildlife) will reinstate federal protections for old-growth forests, forests essential for the survival of the northern spotted...

Conservation groups unite to protect threatened species in Colorado

Nov 8, 2021

Today, Defenders of Wildlife, The Wilderness Society, the San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council, San Juan Citizens Alliance, WildEarth Guardians, and the Western Environmental Law Center filed two lawsuits against the United States Forest Service over its newly revised...

Biden makes climate pledge at Glasgow while pushing oil, gas leasing in U.S.

Nov 3, 2021

U.S. climate groups slammed the Biden administration today for ignoring climate impacts and refusing to stop oil and gas leasing on public lands despite President Biden’s Glasgow pledge to halve greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The revised plans for February lease...

Biden administration strengthens safeguards for methane pollution

Nov 2, 2021

Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed two pollution rules for methane, a component of natural gas, and other pollutants from new and modified sources in the oil and gas sector. Methane is a critical aspect to addressing the climate crisis, as it is...