NEPA may spur lawsuits over ANWR leasing freeze

E&E News cites attorney Devin Watkins on ANWR leases:

But Devin Watkins, an attorney with the Competitive Enterprise Institute, suggested that affected companies could raise breach of contract claims.

He acknowledged that the government isn’t required to issue leases against its will. But in this case, he said, the government has stalled leases that have already been issued, without identifying legal problems with the leases.

“The Biden administration is free to examine the issue all they want to, do whatever tests they think are necessary, to look at whatever they need to look at, but they can’t stop doing what they promised they were going to do while that occurs. That is breach of contract,” Watkins said.

“Once they have any evidence that there is a legal problem, that changes the matter,” he added.

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