Three environmental groups on Monday sent an intent-to-sue letter to the Department of Interior (DOI) for not listing sage grouse as an endangered or threatened species. Sixty days’ notice is required ahead of filing a lawsuit under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The Center for Biological Diversity, Desert Survivors and Western Watersheds Project said the lawsuit would be filed in a still-to-be-determined federal court because DOI classified the sage grouse only as a candidate for protection under the ESA (see Daily GPI, March 8). Around 250 species considered candidates for protection have been on the list for decades, the groups said. DOI declined to comment because of its policy regarding litigation.
Letter
Articles from Letter
Interior Misses Mark on BLM Reform, Says Wyoming Governor
Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal fired off a letter to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar slamming the department’s ambitious reform of the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) oil and natural gas leasing program (see NGI, Jan. 11). With the proposed changes, the governor said Interior was perpetuating the unbalanced policies in Washington, DC — this time giving environmentalists the upper hand over oil and natural gas development.
January 18, 2010
WY Governor Says Interior Misses Mark on BLM Reform
Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal fired off a letter to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar last week slamming the department’s ambitious reform of the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) oil and natural gas leasing program. Salazar pointed to the reforms as evidence that producers’ influence over BLM policies was waning.
January 12, 2010
BLM Urged to Maintain ‘Categorical Exclusions’ to Expedite Permitting
A group of industrial natural gas consumers fired off a letter to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar Wednesday expressing their concern that the agency may restrict or possibly prevent the use of “categorical exclusions” to fast-track oil and gas activity on public lands.
January 4, 2010
Producers to New York Governor: Don’t Forget the Gas Underfoot
New York state economic development and business interests — led by the Independent Oil & Gas Association (IOGA) of New York — last week reminded Gov. David A. Paterson in a letter that his draft energy plan includes expansion of natural gas exploration. Producers and others are pushing for adoption of new rules that would allow development of the Marcellus Shale gas play, while environmentalists are lobbying for stricter standards.
January 4, 2010
BLM Urged to Maintain ‘Categorical Exclusions’ to Expedite Permitting
A group of industrial natural gas consumers fired off a letter to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar last Wednesday expressing their concern that the agency may restrict or possibly prevent the use of “categorical exclusions” to fast-track oil and gas activity on public lands.
January 4, 2010
Producers to New York Governor: Don’t Forget the Gas Underfoot
New York state economic development and business interests — led by the Independent Oil & Gas Association (IOGA) of New York — Tuesday reminded Gov. David A. Paterson in a letter that his draft energy plan includes expansion of natural gas exploration. Producers and others are pushing for adoption of new rules that would allow development of the Marcellus Shale gas play, while environmentalists are lobbying for stricter standards.
December 31, 2009
Interior Criticized for Releasing Scant Information on OCS Plan
In a letter to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, North Carolina Gov. Beverly Perdue criticized the Obama administration for its failure to provide more information on its draft five-year leasing program for the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) and to reach an agreement with coastal states on the sharing of royalties from offshore production.
September 28, 2009
Interior Criticized for Releasing Scant Information on OCS Plan
In a letter to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, North Carolina Gov. Beverly Perdue criticized the Obama administration for its failure to provide more information on its draft five-year leasing program for the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) and to reach an agreement with coastal states on the sharing of royalties from offshore production.
September 22, 2009
U.S. Chamber Pushes for Revamped U.S. Energy Policy
In an open letter to Congress and the next president, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and a bipartisan group of energy officials and industry leaders this week called for a strategic long-term energy policy for the United States.
July 18, 2008
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