August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 28

L AW R E V I E W

NEPA Review of Fracking Leases on Public Lands
By James C. Kozlowski, J.D., Ph.D.

T

he opinion of the federal district court in the case described herein
illustrates the procedural nature of federal judicial review in determining whether an agency has adequately considered the environmental
impacts of a proposed action under the Administrative Procedures Act (APA)
and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). In this particular instance, the federal court describes a controversy involving the environmental
impact of proposed fracking (i.e., hydraulic fracturing) on public lands. In
recent years, this ongoing controversy over fracking on public lands has also
included parks, in particular state parks in Ohio, as well as national parks.
(See: http://ecowatch.com/2012/fracking-state-parks and www.npca.org/
about-us/center-for-park-research/fracking.)
In the case of Center for Biological Diversity v. Bureau of Land Management,
2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 52432; 43 ELR
20076 (N.D. Cal. 3/31/2013), several
environmental groups, including the
Sierra Club, challenged the decision
of defendants Bureau of Land Management ( " BLM " ) and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to sell four oil and
gas leases for approximately 2,700
acres of federal land in Monterey and

26

Parks & Recreation

Fresno counties. Plaintiffs alleged the
leases were sold in violation of the
National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) because BLM had not adequately considered the environmental
impacts of fracking.
Fracking fractures a rock layer by
injecting large quantities of water and
fracturing fluids at high volume and
pressure. This fractures the geological
formation, creating passages through

| AU G U S T 2 0 1 3 | W W W. N R PA . O R G

which gas and liquids can flow and an
overall increased permeability. Fracking typically uses " slick water, " which
is a mixture of water, sand and a cocktail of chemical ingredients with a
number of purposes, including increasing viscosity of the fluid and impeding
bacterial growth or mineral deposition.
Advocates for fracking herald the
technology as an economic method
to meet our nation's energy needs by
extracting vast amounts of formerly
inaccessible hydrocarbon supplies.
Fracking opponents, however, warn
of devastating environmental impacts, including contamination of
groundwater, deteriorating air quality, flowbacks of gases and slick water, and surface pollution from spills.
The Congressional Committee on
Energy and Commerce launched an
investigation to examine the chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing from



August 2013 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of August 2013 - Parks & Recreation

August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 1
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 2
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 3
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 4
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 5
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 6
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 7
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 8
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 9
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 10
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 11
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 12
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 13
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 14
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 15
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 16
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 17
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 18
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 19
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 20
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 21
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 22
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 23
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 24
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 25
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 26
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 27
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 28
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 29
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 30
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 31
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 32
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 33
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 34
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 35
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 36
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 37
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 38
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 39
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 40
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 41
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 42
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 43
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 44
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 45
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 46
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 47
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 48
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 49
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 50
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 51
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 52
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 53
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 54
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 55
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 56
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 57
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 58
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 59
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 60
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 61
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 62
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 63
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 64
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 65
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 66
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 67
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 68
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 69
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 70
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 71
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 72
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 73
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 74
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 75
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 76
August 2013 - Parks & Recreation - 77
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2009
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2009
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com