A federal appeals court has overturned the government’s approval of a proposal to conduct exploratory drilling for gold on public lands in California’s Sierra Nevada. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found that the Forest Service had violated the National Environmental Policy Act by relying on two categorical exclusions for a single project to avoid environmental reviews. The decision could potentially impact other environmental review battles. The project was opposed by environmental groups who warned it could threaten an endangered fish and a vulnerable greater sage grouse population.
Solar Dominates US Energy Capacity Growth
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has published data showing that solar accounted for over 75% of US electrical generating
