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The Pinedale Anticline natural gas field, in Sublette County, Wyoming is one of the highest-producing gas fields in the United States. (Photo: William Campbell/Corbis via Getty Images)
Green Groups Want Ruling on Wyoming Fossil Fuel Leases to Embolden Biden
"We hope that moving forward, the Biden administration won't shy away from exercising its authority to limit oil and gas leasing in order to protect our climate and the environment."
Sep 02, 2022
A coalition of 21 green groups on Friday welcomed a U.S. judge's ruling rejecting a challenge by Wyoming and the fossil fuel industry to the Biden administration not holding oil and gas lease sales early last year.
"We are pleased to see this well-reasoned order in such an important case," the groups--which were represented by Earthjustice and the Western Environmental Law Center (WELC), and defended the administration's postponements and leasing pause--said in a statement.
"We hope that moving forward, the Biden administration won't shy away from exercising its authority to limit oil and gas leasing in order to protect our climate and the environment," the coalition added.
\u201cBREAKING: Court rejects Wyoming, industry challenge to Biden postponement of oil, gas lease sales\n\nWELC/@Earthjustice represent a huge group of conservation intervenors in this case\n\nhttps://t.co/KRsWR1WgqV\u201d— Western Environmental Law Center (@Western Environmental Law Center) 1662155332
The industry petitioners filed their suit on January 27, 2021--the day of newly inaugurated President Joe Biden's relevant executive order--and updated their petition in February and again in March. Wyoming launched its case on March 24, 2021.
Given the timing of both petitions in the consolidated case, Wyoming-based U.S. District Judge Scott W. Skavdahl considered whether the industry petitioners and state have the standing to challenge Department of the Interior (DOI) leasing actions related to either the first or second quarter of last year.
Skavdahl concluded that industry petitioners lack standing to challenge DOI moves beyond the initial filing date "because such later action is not necessarily 'final agency action' at the time their standing is determined." He similarly ruled that the state "lacks standing to challenge anything beyond the first-quarter lease sale postponements."
The judge further found that the administrative record shows the first-quarter lease sale postponements "were not arbitrary, capricious, or an abuse of discretion," and did not violate the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, Mineral Leasing Act, or National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
In fact, he noted, "substantial evidence in record supports the DOI secretary's decision to postpone the March 2021 lease sales over concerns that the associated environmental assessments did not satisfy recent federal court caselaw that had found similar EAs lacked sufficient NEPA analysis."
Skavdahl's ruling comes after U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty last month doubled down on his 2021 decision to block Biden's oil and gas leasing moratorium. Doughty's new injunction does not impact Wyoming--it only applies to the 13 states involved in the case: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia.
That recent move by Doughty--an appointee of former President Donald Trump--came just a day after Judge Patrick E. Higginbotham of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit struck down his 2021 nationwide injunction, concluding that it lacked necessary specificity.
While the recently signed Inflation Reduction Act is set to force more fossil fuel lease sales for federal lands and waters, climate campaigners continue to pressure the president to end the extraction of oil and gas from such spaces.
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A coalition of 21 green groups on Friday welcomed a U.S. judge's ruling rejecting a challenge by Wyoming and the fossil fuel industry to the Biden administration not holding oil and gas lease sales early last year.
"We are pleased to see this well-reasoned order in such an important case," the groups--which were represented by Earthjustice and the Western Environmental Law Center (WELC), and defended the administration's postponements and leasing pause--said in a statement.
"We hope that moving forward, the Biden administration won't shy away from exercising its authority to limit oil and gas leasing in order to protect our climate and the environment," the coalition added.
\u201cBREAKING: Court rejects Wyoming, industry challenge to Biden postponement of oil, gas lease sales\n\nWELC/@Earthjustice represent a huge group of conservation intervenors in this case\n\nhttps://t.co/KRsWR1WgqV\u201d— Western Environmental Law Center (@Western Environmental Law Center) 1662155332
The industry petitioners filed their suit on January 27, 2021--the day of newly inaugurated President Joe Biden's relevant executive order--and updated their petition in February and again in March. Wyoming launched its case on March 24, 2021.
Given the timing of both petitions in the consolidated case, Wyoming-based U.S. District Judge Scott W. Skavdahl considered whether the industry petitioners and state have the standing to challenge Department of the Interior (DOI) leasing actions related to either the first or second quarter of last year.
Skavdahl concluded that industry petitioners lack standing to challenge DOI moves beyond the initial filing date "because such later action is not necessarily 'final agency action' at the time their standing is determined." He similarly ruled that the state "lacks standing to challenge anything beyond the first-quarter lease sale postponements."
The judge further found that the administrative record shows the first-quarter lease sale postponements "were not arbitrary, capricious, or an abuse of discretion," and did not violate the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, Mineral Leasing Act, or National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
In fact, he noted, "substantial evidence in record supports the DOI secretary's decision to postpone the March 2021 lease sales over concerns that the associated environmental assessments did not satisfy recent federal court caselaw that had found similar EAs lacked sufficient NEPA analysis."
Skavdahl's ruling comes after U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty last month doubled down on his 2021 decision to block Biden's oil and gas leasing moratorium. Doughty's new injunction does not impact Wyoming--it only applies to the 13 states involved in the case: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia.
That recent move by Doughty--an appointee of former President Donald Trump--came just a day after Judge Patrick E. Higginbotham of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit struck down his 2021 nationwide injunction, concluding that it lacked necessary specificity.
While the recently signed Inflation Reduction Act is set to force more fossil fuel lease sales for federal lands and waters, climate campaigners continue to pressure the president to end the extraction of oil and gas from such spaces.
A coalition of 21 green groups on Friday welcomed a U.S. judge's ruling rejecting a challenge by Wyoming and the fossil fuel industry to the Biden administration not holding oil and gas lease sales early last year.
"We are pleased to see this well-reasoned order in such an important case," the groups--which were represented by Earthjustice and the Western Environmental Law Center (WELC), and defended the administration's postponements and leasing pause--said in a statement.
"We hope that moving forward, the Biden administration won't shy away from exercising its authority to limit oil and gas leasing in order to protect our climate and the environment," the coalition added.
\u201cBREAKING: Court rejects Wyoming, industry challenge to Biden postponement of oil, gas lease sales\n\nWELC/@Earthjustice represent a huge group of conservation intervenors in this case\n\nhttps://t.co/KRsWR1WgqV\u201d— Western Environmental Law Center (@Western Environmental Law Center) 1662155332
The industry petitioners filed their suit on January 27, 2021--the day of newly inaugurated President Joe Biden's relevant executive order--and updated their petition in February and again in March. Wyoming launched its case on March 24, 2021.
Given the timing of both petitions in the consolidated case, Wyoming-based U.S. District Judge Scott W. Skavdahl considered whether the industry petitioners and state have the standing to challenge Department of the Interior (DOI) leasing actions related to either the first or second quarter of last year.
Skavdahl concluded that industry petitioners lack standing to challenge DOI moves beyond the initial filing date "because such later action is not necessarily 'final agency action' at the time their standing is determined." He similarly ruled that the state "lacks standing to challenge anything beyond the first-quarter lease sale postponements."
The judge further found that the administrative record shows the first-quarter lease sale postponements "were not arbitrary, capricious, or an abuse of discretion," and did not violate the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, Mineral Leasing Act, or National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
In fact, he noted, "substantial evidence in record supports the DOI secretary's decision to postpone the March 2021 lease sales over concerns that the associated environmental assessments did not satisfy recent federal court caselaw that had found similar EAs lacked sufficient NEPA analysis."
Skavdahl's ruling comes after U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty last month doubled down on his 2021 decision to block Biden's oil and gas leasing moratorium. Doughty's new injunction does not impact Wyoming--it only applies to the 13 states involved in the case: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia.
That recent move by Doughty--an appointee of former President Donald Trump--came just a day after Judge Patrick E. Higginbotham of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit struck down his 2021 nationwide injunction, concluding that it lacked necessary specificity.
While the recently signed Inflation Reduction Act is set to force more fossil fuel lease sales for federal lands and waters, climate campaigners continue to pressure the president to end the extraction of oil and gas from such spaces.
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LATEST NEWS
Trump Tariffs Are Burdening US Families With 'Back-to-School Tax': Analysis
"Trump's back-to-school message to America's families is crystal clear: Don't expect help, just expect less," said one expert.
Aug 14, 2025
Families of students across the United States are facing significantly higher prices for basic supplies as the new school year begins, a cost burden that a new analysis blames on President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs and the massive Republican budget package he signed into law last month.
The analysis, conducted by The Century Foundation (TCF) and Groundwork Collaborative, estimates that prices for supplies such as index cards have surged by more than 40% this year.
Lunch staples have also gotten more expensive, with U.S. families set to pay roughly $163 more on average for juice boxes, strawberries, and other such items this year, according to the new analysis, which characterized the higher costs as a "back-to-school tax" imposed by the president.
"President Trump's policies are forcing families to foot higher bills for back-to-school essentials from binders and lunch-box staples to clothes, shoes, and even laptops," said TCF senior fellow Rachel West. "From his reckless tariffs to his budget law slashing food assistance and federal student loans, Trump's back-to-school message to America's families is crystal clear: Don't expect help, just expect less."
The analysis was released just as new economic data further underscored the impact of Trump's tariffs on prices across the economy, with wholesale prices registering their largest monthly gain since June 2022.
TCF and Groundwork's findings align with a recent survey by the research firm Deloitte, which found that nearly half of U.S. parents and caregivers believe lunch costs on school days will be higher this year than in 2024.
Liz Pancotti, Groundwork's managing director of policy and advocacy, said Thursday that "President Trump's tax and tariff policies have turned the back-to-school season into a budgeting nightmare for hardworking American families."
"From lunch boxes and notebooks to juice boxes and pencils, parents are being squeezed at every turn—paying more for the school supplies and meals their kids need to succeed," said Pancotti. "No family should have to struggle to afford the basics while the wealthy and well-connected cash in on massive tax breaks they do not need."
"Trump's tax and tariff policies have turned the back-to-school season into a budgeting nightmare for hardworking American families."
The budget law that Trump signed last month is set to deliver trillions of dollars in tax breaks largely to the wealthiest Americans and biggest corporations while making unprecedented cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid.
Those programs are used in states across the country to determine eligibility for free or reduced-cost school meals, and cuts inflicted by the Trump-GOP law are expected to leave more than 18 million children across the U.S. without access to free school meals in the coming years.
"President Trump's policies—including his erratic, punitive tariffs—are squeezing families' budgets as they prepare to return to school," TCF and Groundwork said Thursday. "Not only has Trump failed to keep his promises to tackle high prices, but his massive budget law will soon drive costs even higher for back-to-school essentials as its cuts to programs that children, families, and college students depend on take hold."
EJ Antoni, Trump's Pick for Key Economic Post, Spotted in Jan 6 MAGA Mob
"The inmates are not only running the asylum. They're bringing in more inmates to help," said one observer.
Aug 14, 2025
EJ Antoni, President Donald Trump's controversial nominee to head the Bureau of Labor Statistics, was among the insurrectionist mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, NBC News revealed Wednesday.
Video footage archived from the right-wing social media site Parler and posted online by a Republican-led congressional subcommittee shows Antoni among the crowd about half an hour before the MAGA mob began breaching barricades, attacking police, and swarming the Capitol. He is also seen walking away from the crowd.
The White House attempted to downplay the news, with spokesperson Taylor Rogers saying that "these pictures show E.J. Antoni, a bystander to the events of January 6th, observing and then leaving the Capitol area."
"E.J. was in town for meetings, and it is wrong and defamatory to suggest E.J. engaged in anything inappropriate or illegal," Rogers added.
See the man circled here? That's E.J. Antoni, Trump's Bureau of Labor Statistics nominee, walking through a crowd of Capitol rioters.#ICYMI, we've got an archive of 500+ Parler videos taken during Jan. 6. You can spot Antoni starting at around 1:41 here: projects.propublica.org/parler-capit...
[image or embed]
— ProPublica (@propublica.org) August 14, 2025 at 9:06 AM
Other MAGA figures also defended Antoni. Felonious fraudster Steve Bannon, who pleaded guilty in a border wall fundraising fraud case this year, said Thursday on his War Room podcast: "They came up with a photo of E.J. Antoni in the crowd outside the Capitol on January 6, and NBC went absolutely nuts over it. I think it makes E.J. even more based. I didn't know that about E.J.—makes us want him even more."
Critics, however, expressed alarm, given the important post to which Antoni was nominated.
"We just discovered a Trump [Department of Justice] official was at January 6, telling other traitors to 'kill' police," journalist and attorney Adam Cohen wrote on the social media site Bluesky, referring to Jared Wise, who was pardoned by Trump.
"Now we learn Trump's BLS nominee, E.J. Antoni—apart from being totally unqualified—was ALSO part of the insurrection," Cohen added. "The inmates are not only running the asylum. They're bringing in MORE inmates to help."
The West Virginia Federation of Democratic Women noted on the social media site X that "Trump fired the vetted woman who reported honest stats on job losses. His new guy was in the mob on January 6 and wrote Project 2025."
Journalist Ahmed Baba wrote on X: "So, E.J. Antoni is the chief economist at the Heritage Foundation, a contributor to Project 2025, and was literally outside the Capitol on January 6. This is who Trump wants to be in charge of the BLS data that shapes global decisions and moves markets—an extremist sycophant."
Trump nominated Antoni after firing former BLS Commissioner Erika McEntarfer, whom the president accused without evidence of manipulating employment statistics to discredit him and other Republicans.
Trump-GOP Medicaid Cuts Already Causing Healthcare Havoc in Multiple States
"These reductions may cause some providers to stop accepting Medicaid patients," said a spokesperson for the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.
Aug 14, 2025
The cuts to Medicaid contained in the recently passed Republican budget law are already having a damaging impact in multiple states, as both local hospitals and state governments struggle financially to make up funding gaps.
As NC Newsline reported on Wednesday, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) has announced plans to cut Medicaid spending by $319 million starting on October 1, which the publication said "means the state will reduce rates by 3% to all medical providers, as well as cuts of 8-10% for inpatient and residential services and 10% for behavioral therapy and analysis for patients with autism."
NCDHHS spokesperson Summer Tonizzo did not sugarcoat the impact that the cuts would have on services for Medicaid patients in her state. She said that services including hospice care, behavioral health long-term care, and nursing home services could see reimbursement cuts significantly steeper than 3%.
"These reductions may cause some providers to stop accepting Medicaid patients, as the lowered rates could make it financially unsustainable to continue offering care," she said.
The Tar Heel State isn't the only one reeling from Medicaid cuts, as Colorado Public Radio reported that the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, which manages the state's Medicaid program, held a webinar this week in which it outlined plans to, in the words of department director Kim Bimestefer, "mitigate the loss of coverage and its catastrophic consequences to Coloradans, providers, and the economy."
This will be easier said than done, however, as Colorado Public Radio noted that numbers reviewed by the department estimate that "hundreds of thousands" of residents in the state could lose healthcare access thanks to cuts from the GOP budget package.
In addition to people who will lose coverage thanks to the work requirements passed in the legislation, an estimated 112,000 people who buy health insurance policies from state exchanges could lose it after the expected expiration of enhanced tax credits passed by Democrats during former President Joe Biden's term.
Taking a look at the broader nationwide picture, Stateline reported that even some Republicans attending the National Conference of State Legislatures summit in Boston this week expressed anxiety about the impact the cuts will have on the people whom they represent.
The publication quoted Oklahoma state Sen. John Haste, who said during the summit that he was particularly concerned about the impact the cuts would have on rural communities. Among other things, he pointed to a provision in the law that will deliver a $209 million cut in Medicaid funds to Oklahoma, as well as the fact that complying with work requirement verifications will cost an estimated $30 million.
"All of those things added together come up to a really big number," said Haste. "We don't know exactly what that is."
Hawaii Democratic state Sen. Ronald Kouchi said during the summit that the impact of the Medicaid cuts would be absolutely brutal, but added that the only thing Democrats can do for now is make sure their voters know whom to blame for what's happening.
"Who's going to be blamed when people are left out, when people are hungry and they lose out on educational opportunities?" he asked during a panel discussion. "If we as state legislators do not convey that it is a result of the decisionmakers in Washington, D.C., they will be at our doorstep as the place of last resort."
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