WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 29th February, 2020) A US Federal judge recently canceled $125 million in oil and gas leases on public land in the state of Ohio that is home to an endangered bird species known as sage grouse, the Center for Biological Diversity said in a press release.
"A federal judge today rejected a Trump administration policy to sharply curtail public participation in oil and gas leasing decisions on public lands and voided nearly 1 million acres leased under the policy," the group said in a release on Friday.
US Judge Ronald Bush ruled that the Trump administration illegally reduced the public comment period that allows individuals to protest the proposed plans, the release said. The Trump administration had reduced the public comment period from 30 days to 10 days, the release said.
The release said the ruling applies to lease sales in greater sage-grouse habitat across 67 million acres in 11 Western states.
