The Regulation of Seismic Exploration in the United States

In NRDC v. Bernhardt, No. 2:18-cv-01882 (E.D. LA), environmental and conservation groups have sued the Department of Interior and NOAA/NMFS alleging that their regulation of oil and gas seismic in the Gulf of Mexico violates various federal laws.  The case has been stayed pending settlement negotiations. On August 6, 2020, the judge in this case granted the parties’ motion to extend the stay until December 1, 2020.  The parties’ stay motion made several arguments in support of this stay extension, including the fact that the rules being discussed in the potential settlement “must undergo interagency review pursuant to E.O. 12866.”