Lawsuit Challenges Massive Offshore Lease Sale for Failing to Consider Gulf Communities, Climate
Lawsuit Challenges Massive Offshore Lease Sale for Failing to ... Center for Biological Diversity
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Gulf Community and Environmental Groups Sue Interior Department Over Offshore Oil and Gas Lease Sale
WASHINGTON— Gulf community and environmental groups sued the Interior Department today to challenge an offshore oil and gas lease sale that would offer up more than 67 million acres in the Gulf of Mexico. The department plans to hold the sale Sept. 27.
Background
Lease Sale 261, which the Biden administration canceled in 2021, is the last of three offshore oil and gas lease sales mandated under the Inflation Reduction Act. Lease Sales 258 and 259, held in December 2022 and March 2023, were also revived by the IRA. Those lease sales were challenged in federal court for failing to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act.
Violation of NEPA and Climate Harm
Today’s lawsuit challenges the upcoming lease sale for violating NEPA because Interior did not consider the health threats to Gulf Coast communities living near oil refineries and other polluting drilling infrastructure. The department also failed to adequately consider the climate harm from this massive new source of fossil fuel production. The lease sale could result in the production of more than 1 billion barrels of oil and 4 trillion cubic feet of natural gas over the next 50 years, resulting in more than 370 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions.
Protection of Endangered Rice’s Whale
The department agreed to limit the leasing area to reduce the risk of driving the endangered Rice’s whale to extinction. Scientists estimate there may be only 51 Rice’s whales left on Earth.
Lawsuit Details
The lawsuit was filed in federal court in the District of Columbia on behalf of Healthy Gulf, Bayou City Waterkeeper, Friends of the Earth, Center for Biological Diversity, Natural Resources Defense Council, and Sierra Club.
Implications of Proposed Five-Year Program
In September, Interior is expected to release its final proposed five-year program for offshore oil and gas leasing. The plan, which lasts through 2028, could include as many as 11 new offshore lease sales. Holding 11 new fossil fuel auctions would sanction up to 70 years of additional fossil-fuel extraction with the potential to emit up to 3.5 billion tons of carbon pollution.
Statements from Earthjustice, its clients and partners:
“Once again, the Biden administration has fallen short of the federal law by neglecting to consider the impact of this massive oil sale on Gulf communities and the climate,” said Earthjustice attorney George Torgun. “We’re pleased that Interior excluded habitat for the nearly extinct Gulf of Mexico whale from this lease sale, but it’s equally critical that Interior builds on this step and protects climate and Gulf communities from the harms of leasing.”
“Unfortunately, given BOEM’s history of sacrificing the Gulf of Mexico to Big Oil, this lease sale decision comes as no surprise,” said Hallie Templeton, legal director of Friends of the Earth. “Our lawsuit should also come as no surprise, since BOEM continues to rely on the same outdated, broken environmental analysis. If we are going to make a dent in the climate crisis, business as usual must stop. We are going to keep fighting until the Gulf of Mexico is off the table for good.”
“As steward of the country’s public lands and waters, Interior has a duty to fully consider the harms offshore leasing can cause, from air pollution to oil spills, and beyond,” said Julia Forgie, attorney for NRDC (the Natural Resources Defense Council). “This vast lease sale — for millions of acres — poses threats to Gulf communities and endangered species while contributing to the climate crisis this region knows far too well. We are holding the agency to its obligation to carefully assess these risks and the climate fallout of this giveaway to Big Oil.”
“It’s mind-boggling that in this summer of deadly fossil fuel-driven record heat, fires and flooding the Biden administration couldn’t be bothered to look carefully at the damage this lease sale will cause to people, endangered wildlife and the climate,” said Kristen Monsell, oceans legal director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “Across the country we’re seeing lethal wildfires, boiling ocean temperatures and mass coral die-offs, all caused or exacerbated by a climate unnaturally warmed by fossil fuel emissions. We’ve got to stop letting oil and gas companies make it worse by drilling in our oceans.”
“It is time to transition away from fossil fuels,” said Kristen Schlemmer, legal director and waterkeeper for Bayou City Waterkeeper. “Continued development in the Gulf of Mexico creates unfair burdens on communities in Houston and across the Gulf South. Moving forward with Lease Sale 261 means more drilling in the years to come. It means more facilities in our
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
- SDG 13: Climate Action
- SDG 14: Life Below Water
- SDG 15: Life on Land
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
- SDG 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning
- SDG 14.2: Sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems
- SDG 15.1: Ensure conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
- Indicator for SDG 13.2: Existence of national policies or strategies that integrate climate change measures
- Indicator for SDG 14.2: Proportion of coastal and marine areas protected or conserved
- Indicator for SDG 15.1: Proportion of important sites for terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity that are covered by protected areas
The article discusses the lawsuit filed against the Interior Department’s offshore oil and gas lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico. The issues highlighted in the article are directly connected to SDG 13 (Climate Action), as the lease sale could result in significant greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to climate change. The article also mentions the need to protect endangered species and habitats, which aligns with SDG 14 (Life Below Water) and SDG 15 (Life on Land).
Based on the content of the article, specific targets under these SDGs can be identified. SDG 13.2 aims to integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning. The article criticizes the Interior Department for not adequately considering the climate harm from the lease sale, indicating a failure to integrate climate change measures into their decision-making process.
SDG 14.2 focuses on sustainably managing and protecting marine and coastal ecosystems. The article mentions the endangered Rice’s whale and the agreement to limit the leasing area to reduce the risk of driving the species to extinction. This indicates the importance of protecting marine ecosystems and aligns with this target.
SDG 15.1 aims to ensure the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems. While the article does not explicitly mention terrestrial ecosystems, it highlights the need to consider the health threats to Gulf Coast communities living near oil refineries and drilling infrastructure. Protecting these communities and their surrounding environments aligns with this target.
The article does not provide specific indicators, but we can identify relevant indicators based on the targets mentioned above. For SDG 13.2, an indicator could be the existence of national policies or strategies that integrate climate change measures. For SDG 14.2, an indicator could be the proportion of coastal and marine areas protected or conserved. And for SDG 15.1, an indicator could be the proportion of important sites for terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity that are covered by protected areas.
4. Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 13: Climate Action | 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning | Existence of national policies or strategies that integrate climate change measures |
| SDG 14: Life Below Water | 14.2: Sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems | Proportion of coastal and marine areas protected or conserved |
| SDG 15: Life on Land | 15.1: Ensure conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems | Proportion of important sites for terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity that are covered by protected areas |
Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.
Source: biologicaldiversity.org
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