News & Updates
New Mexico Oil Conservation Commission finalizes oil and gas venting, flaring rule; leak detection and repair rule forthcoming
Today, the New Mexico Oil Conservation Commission (OCC) finalized a new rule proposed by the state’s Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD) to limit venting and flaring of methane by the oil and gas industry. The OCC rule marks an important step...
Conservation groups ask court to reinstate protections on 3.4 million acres of critical northern spotted owl habitat
Conservation groups in the Pacific Northwest filed a legal challenge to reinstate federal protections on more than 3.4 million acres of federal old-growth forests, which are essential for the survival of the threatened northern spotted owl. The lawsuit asks the court...
Scientists, conservationists challenge plan to cut road through Mount St. Helens living laboratory, sensitive ecology
Today, a coalition of scientists and conservationists challenged in federal court a U.S. Forest Service plan to build a road through the Pumice Plain, the blast zone of Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, to assess the integrity of a natural dam on Spirit...
Statement: Solidarity with Asian communities
The Western Environmental Law Center is appalled at the murder in Atlanta of one man and seven women, six of them Asian-American. This case appears clearly motivated by anti-Asian racism and misogyny. The case also appears clearly fueled by anti-Asian slurs from...
WELC congratulates, bids farewell to board member Daniel Cordalis
The Western Environmental Law Center offers heartfelt congratulations to board member Daniel Cordalis, who has been chosen to be Deputy Solicitor of Water at the U.S. Department of the Interior. He will step down from the WELC board of directors. We are sorry to lose...
Friends of the Clearwater to court: Motorized vehicles in Fish Lake’s sensitive habitat would harm bull trout, grizzlies, elk
Today, Friends of the Clearwater (FOC) filed a lawsuit to protect sensitive wildlife habitat in the proposed Great Burn Wilderness, which the Forest Service recommended for Congress to designate as wilderness in 1987. The suit seeks to protect Fish Lake from motorized...
Federal court rejects Montana coal mine expansion on climate, clean air grounds
A federal court late yesterday ruled against a massive Montana coal mine expansion, finding the federal government inappropriately ignored the climate, environmental, and health consequences of more mining. In a rebuke of the U.S. Office of Surface Mining, Judge Susan...
Biden administration issues bold, ambitious agenda to address climate crisis
Today, President Biden issued an expansive set of executive orders to address the climate crisis, safeguard 30% of our country’s lands and waters by 2030, restore the scientific integrity of federal decision-making, invest in sustainable infrastructure, and deliver...
32 Colorado groups support Biden’s expected pledge to halt new fossil fuel leasing, permitting on public lands
As President Biden prepares to announce a moratorium on new oil and gas leasing and permitting on public lands and oceans, 32 climate, conservation, religious and business groups in Colorado today announced support for the move in a letter to the president. Biden...
Advocates to court: Feds skipped public review for Greater Chaco oil and gas leases
Moving to protect the climate, public health, and to further environmental justice, a coalition on Tuesday filed a complaint in federal court challenging two oil and gas lease sales in New Mexico’s Greater Chaco region. Today’s filing is a supplement to an earlier...
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