Wyoming Oil Drilling Project Approvals Rejected by Federal Judge

Thousands of oil wells in Wyoming saw their federal approval scrapped after a federal judge ruled that a US Interior Department subagency conducted a deficient environmental impact analysis prior to allowing them to move forward.

Judge Tanya S. Chutkan of the US District Court for the District of Columbia vacated the environmental impact statement supporting the Converse County Oil and Gas Project Feb. 27, ruling the supplemental studies the agency issued last year didn’t adequately consider a phased well development alternative despite recognizing the move would reduce emissions and potential air quality impacts.

Under the National Environmental Policy Act, the ...