Federal Judge Voids 3 BLM Actions, Citing's Perry's Illegal Presence As Putative Head Of Agency

[hatrack]

A federal judge in Montana has once again handed the Bureau of Land Management and its embattled former de facto acting chief, William Perry Pendley, another major legal defeat.

Chief Judge Brian Morris of the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana late yesterday issued an order invalidating three major land-use plan revisions in Montana as a result of Pendley "unlawfully" leading BLM for more than a year.

BLM issued a statement this morning blasting Morris' order. "The court's erroneous ruling continues to disregard basic facts and misapprehend how authority is delegated within federal agencies," it said. But Morris also issued what appeared to be a warning to Pendley and the Interior Department that they better abide by his previous order from last month barring Pendley from performing the duties of BLM director (Greenwire, Sept. 25).

EDIT

Morris' latest order issued last night takes his initial finding from September a step further, ruling the amended Lewistown and Missoula resource management plans (RMPs) in the central and northwest parts of the state, respectively, are now invalid because Pendley was not authorized to perform the duties of the BLM director. The amended Lewistown and Missoula RMPs, finalized in July, cover in total about 800,000 acres. Morris' order also dismisses the Miles City RMP amendment in eastern Montana, approved by BLM last year. It addresses the management of 12 million acres of subsurface mineral estate. All three RMPs would open more federal lands to oil and gas drilling, the state and other critics say.

EDIT

https://www.eenews.net/stories/1063716439

[Eliot Rosewater]

1. They only want to sell every scrap of federal land what's the big deal

They only want to sell every scrap of federal land what’s the big deal

So you have to pay Exxon $100 to go to Yosemite, that is if Yosemite is still there and not hotels and casinos.

But Hillary gave one speech so this is all just as it supposed to be right assholes?

Anyone who bashed Hillary Clinton is now responsible for the death of what will eventually be millions.

And obviously my comment about what’s the big deal is sarcasm

[ret5hd]

2. Why this is SO important to ALL of us:

The unbelievable treasures they are trying to steal from us.

[2naSalit]

3. +1

[2naSalit]

4. Another feather in soon to be Senator Bullock's cap!

One of his mottoes, used for years around here, is: "Keep Public Lands in public hands!" He lives up to this regularly and it's why I think he'll win the Senate seat.