Oceana, Defenders of Wildlife, the Center for Biological Diversity, and the Natural Resources Defense Council have sued the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. These NGOs are challenging BOEM’s approval of Lease Sales 218 and 216/222 for the sale of new oil and gas leases in the Western and Central Planning Areas of the Gulf of Mexico. The court has issued a scheduling order in this case:
• Plaintiffs filed their motion for summary judgment on June 28, 2013.
• BOEM and the other federal defendants shall file their opposition and cross-motion for summary judgment no later than August 9, 2013.
• Intervenors shall file their oppositions to plaintiff’s motion and their own cross-motions for summary judgment no later than August 23, 2013.
• Plaintiffs shall oppose the defendants’ and intervenors’ motions and reply to their oppositions no later than September 23, 2013.
• Defendants shall reply to the plaintiffs’ opposition no later than October 23, 2013.
• Intervenors shall reply to the plaintiffs’ opposition no later than November 6, 2013.
• The parties shall provide the court with an appendix in accordance with Local Civil Rule 7(n) no later than November 14, 2013.
