Judge Weighs Lawsuit To Force Climate Review Of Coal Lease Program

A federal district judge is weighing claims by Democratic states and environmentalists that the Interior Department (DOI) must review the climate impacts of its coal leasing program after outgoing Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke failed to do so when he lifted a moratorium on coal leasing imposed by the prior administration. Critics of Zinke's order argue that restarting leasing is a federal action that requires a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review. Obama DOI officials had paused new leasing in order...