June 10, 2022

AG Bonta Secures Appellate Decision Blocking Coastal Fracking in California

Lori Kalani, Bernard Nash

Cozen O'Connor

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Cozen O'Connor

California AG Rob Bonta, along with a coalition of environmental groups and the California Coastal Commission, secured a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit finding that the decision by agencies within the Department of Interior to allow fracking off the California coast violated the National Environmental Policy Act, Endangered Species Act, and Coastal Zone Management Act.
The Ninth Circuit found that the Environmental Assessment issued by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement determining that the proposed fracking poses “no significant impact” was inadequate, and the agencies acted arbitrarily and capriciously by failing to complete an Environmental Impact Statement, among other things.
The case is remanded to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California for further proceedings.

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