Ten AGs Filed Amicus Brief Opposing Gulf of Mexico Oil and Gas Leasing

DECEMBER 14, 2022

Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson led a coalition of 10 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief supporting Friends of the Earth’s lawsuit against the Department of the Interior (DOI) over its 2021 oil and gas lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico. In their brief, the AGs argued that DOI violated the National Environmental Policy Act by failing to consider the impacts the lease sale would have on greenhouse gas emissions, which is required under the Act’s “mandate to consider reasonably foreseeable indirect effects” of actions. At the time the comments were filed, the case was before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit after the district court ruled against DOI.