The American Petroleum Institute is asking to drop its lawsuit challenging the Interior Department’s plan to hold just three offshore oil and gas lease sales between 2024 and 2029, following the Trump administration’s announcement it is kicking off a new planning process.
On Monday, the fossil fuel trade group filed a motion to voluntarily dismiss its case opposing the prior administration’s five year plan, just ahead of oral arguments scheduled for May 6 before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
The Interior Department has not opposed the motion, but the D.C. Circuit still has to approve the request.
API told the court the suit was no longer necessary now that the Trump administration has committed to reconsidering how many offshore oil and gas lease sales it planned to offer in the coming years.
