Mead Pleased with DC Circuit Court of Appeals Decision

Press Release – Governor Mead applauded the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit for upholding the dismissal by the US District Court of a lawsuit regarding the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Coal Leasing Program. The lawsuit would have required the BLM to prepare a new Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the Federal Coal Management Program.

Friends of the Earth and Western Organization of Resource Councils filed suit in 2014 seeking to compel the BLM to update its programmatic EIS for the Federal Coal Management Program. This program guides coal leasing on federal land. The US District Court for DC dismissed the lawsuit because the Secretary of Interior did not propose any new action with respect to the program. The environmental groups appealed the decision in March and the appellate court upheld the decision earlier this week.

“This decision is an important win for Wyoming and means people across the United States can continue to rely on affordable energy from coal.” said Wyoming Governor Matt Mead. “It removes an unnecessary procedural roadblock to federal coal leasing. It is a big step forward. I thank the Attorney General and his office for their work.”