Judge bars gas drilling in roadless areas

The Daily Sentinel ^ | December 01, 2006 | BOBBY MAGILL

[george76]

The federal judge who overturned the Bush administration’s Roadless Rule declared Wednesday that energy companies can’t set up their drill rigs on any undeveloped oil and gas lease issued since 2001 within a roadless area.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth D. LaPorte ruled in September that President Bill Clinton’s 2001 Roadless Rule be reinstated, protecting 4.4 million acres of roadless areas in Colorado national forests and more than 58 million acres nationwide.

Her ruling Wednesday prevents the U.S. Forest Service from approving or allowing any surface disturbance of a mineral lease issued after Jan. 12, 2001, on which drilling or development has not already begun.

In Colorado, Utah and North Dakota, about 327 leases could be affected by the judgment, LaPorte ruled. Permits to drill have not yet been issued for those leases.

After LaPorte in September sidelined Bush’s 2005 rule requiring states to petition the U.S. Department of Agriculture regarding national forest lands suitable for protection as roadless areas, the plaintiffs in the case asked her to take the ruling a step further.

The plaintiffs — four Western states and a slate of environmental groups — asked for an injunction against a number of energy leases in various stages of government approval that hadn’t yet seen any on-the-ground drilling activity.

LaPorte ruled that, although the government argued it and the lease owners would suffer economically if the leases are enjoined, “economic loss is not irreparable.”

“My reaction is: Whoopee!” said Sloan Shoemaker, executive director of the Carbondale-based Wilderness Workshop, calling the ruling a second step in LaPorte’s September judgment.

[george76]

the nitwit judge who banned the Navy from using its new sonar system?

ht Diddle E. Squat

[george76]

" the nitwit judge who banned the Navy from using its new sonar system? "

ht : Diddle E. Squat

[Always Right]

Who needs a President when we have judges running the country???

[george76]

[Youngman442002]

and you know she complains about the price of gas...

[Always Right]

I guess there will never be an explaination of the legal rationale that a judge can make such a ruling? Does Bush not have the authority to overturn an Executive Order of a prior President? How is an ex-President's EO above the current President?

[Bigh4u2]

Judges cannot legally 'overturn' laws or reinstate statues.

If a question arises as to it's constitutionality, they can only refer it back to Congress to be redressed.

This judge, and many like others, are trying to make law from the bench.

[dogbyte12]

Not sure about this ruling, but I do have one concern about drilling in a roadless area and that is accidents. A forest fire occurs, and the well and rig explode. How other than through the air do rescuers respond to a big crude oil fire?

This is probably not the reason behind the rule, but safety should dictate that there should be a reasonable way for emergency evacuation and emergency response to a site drilling a flammable and toxic material.

[george76]

" and you know she complains about the price of gas..."

and she probably blames Bush !

[Libertarianize the GOP]

An executive order issued by a Democrat President is almost on a par with constitutional law and therefore obviously should overrule any subsequent executive order issued by a Republican President. If we have another Democrat President then naturally their new executive orders will automatically be allowed to remove any prior Republican rulings. The job of a Democrat Judge is to guarantee that the Democrat party rules and as such their is no need for a judge's rulings to have any rational basis in law.

[george76]

" Who needs a President when we have judges running the country??? "

...or a congress.

[TChris]

Not sure about this ruling, but I do have one concern about drilling in a roadless area and that is accidents. A forest fire occurs, and the well and rig explode. How other than through the air do rescuers respond to a big crude oil fire?

A few points:

• As far as I know, drilling companies are already liable for any and all damage they cause, including reclaiming the land disturbed by their activities.
• This is about gas drilling, not oil.
• The vast majority of forest fires are caused by lightning, followed by arson, campfires, cigarettes, vehicles, etc.. Drilling rigs don't explode and burn forests down.

[IrishMike]

Robe wearing moonbat al-qaeda sympathizing activist liberal Judge.

Could this idiot get all that on a business card ??

[george76]

Whoopee!” said Sloan Shoemaker, executive director of the Carbondale-based Wilderness Workshop, calling the ruling a second step in LaPorte’s September judgment.

“The Clinton Roadless Rule said you can get the natural gas out, lease these areas, but you can’t disturb the surface of them,” he said. “We’ve always said the same thing.”

---

These liberals like to see the forests burn...really.

[george76]

" Let's hope for this to be quickly overturned."

The next step...



by jdsteel

[george76]

" Apparently she supports the position that public lands belong to the state not the people.

How Stalinistic of her."


ht TigersEye

[Rte66]

"This is about gas drilling, not oil."

Huh?

[TChris]

> "This is about gas drilling, not oil."

Huh?

It was in response to his question: How other than through the air do rescuers respond to a big crude oil fire?

[Rte66]

How do you know these are just natural gas leases? It says "minerals leases."

[YOUGOTIT]

U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth D. LaPorte - She evidently has never read the Constitution. But then what does it matter for a anti-Aemrican left-wing Democrat.