In October 2025, a district court in Cameron Parish granted a challenge brought by environmental justice groups who sought to vacate a coastal use permit (CUP) issued by the Office of Coastal Management (OCM) for the construction of an LNG facility. In granting petitioners’ challenge, the district court primarily cited OCM’s failure to analyze climate
The United States Supreme Court is currently presented with what many believe is the best opportunity for the Court to provide sorely needed guidance in the vastly growing climate change docket—where energy companies are facing liability for injuries allegedly sustained due to greenhouse gas emissions. In Suncor Energy (U.S.A.) Inc., et al. v. County Commissioners
A newly filed class action in the Western District of Washington advances a novel theory of greenwashing liability by suggesting that rising homeowners-insurance premiums are tied to alleged decades of climate deception by major fossil-fuel companies. See Kennedy & Hazard v. Exxon Mobil Corp. et al., Case No. 2:25-cv-02378. According to the complaint, extreme weather
On November 24, 2025, the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) published its Notice of Availability of the 1st Analysis and Proposal of the Draft Proposed Program (DPP) for the 11th National Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Leasing Program (11th OCS Program), opening up a statutorily required 60-day public review and comment period on
In this episode of “Energy Law This Week,” hosts Matt Jones and April L. Rolen-Ogden discuss significant legal cases affecting the energy sector, including the Greenpeace case and a royalty class action lawsuit in North Dakota. They delve into the implications of these cases on the oil and gas industry, as well as
In this episode of “Energy Law This Week,” hosts Matt Jones and April L. Rolen-Ogden are joined by LSU Law Professor, Keith Hall, to delve into the intricacies of carbon capture and storage, exploring its mechanisms, economic drivers, and regulatory frameworks. The discussion highlights the importance of federal tax credits as a
On August 29, 2025, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia (the “Court” or the “Healthy Gulf Court”) issued its decision in Healthy Gulf v. U.S. Department of the Interior. This case marked the sixth occasion in which this Court has reviewed a challenge to a five-year leasing schedule adopted
The Fifth Circuit’s recent decision in Lexon Insurance Co., Inc. v. Chevron U.S.A. Inc., No. 24-20347 (5th Cir. Aug. 19, 2025) (slip op.), addresses who should pay offshore decommissioning costs when a current leaseholder fails to meet its legal obligations. Federal law requires that wells, pipelines, and platforms on the Outer Continental Shelf
On June 27, 2025, the Texas Supreme Court issued yet another landmark decision: Cactus Water Services, LLC v. COG Operating, LLC. Justice Devine delivered the opinion of the Court, holding that produced water is oil-and-gas waste, and, therefore, it belongs to the hydrocarbon lessee (i.e., the operator who is legally obligated to dispose of
In this episode of “Energy Law This Week,” hosts Matt Jones and April L. Rolen-Ogden engage listeners with updates on mineral leases, discussing key legal cases and the implications of lease agreements in the oil and gas industry. They explore the importance of understanding mineral leases, the rights granted to lessees, and the