OHM, SELC Challenge Unprecedented Changes to Georgia Dredging Windows
SAVANNAH, GA– Today One Hundred Miles (OHM), represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), filed a challenge against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ unlawful decision to eliminate highly successful seasonal limitations on dredging projects that have protected sea turtles and other marine life for decades.
Because hopper dredging can be harmful to sea turtles, fisheries, and other coastal wildlife, the Corps has historically conducted dredging activity in Georgia during the winter months (December 15-March 31), when adult loggerheads and other sensitive species are far less abundant in Georgia’s coastal waters.
Judge asked to halt dredges during sea turtle nesting season sandiegouniontribune.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from sandiegouniontribune.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Long Term Downtrend in GDP
By definition a recession occurs when GDP declines in two consecutive quarters, which is one of the reasons why all recessions are not created equal. In 1970 and 1974 GDP contracted by a modest -0.32% and -0.54%, minor hick-ups compared to the 1982 decline of -1.80%. The 1990 recession was shallow as GDP only fell by -0.11%. In 2001 GDP actually rose by +1.00% but during the year there were two consecutive quarters in which GDP was lower so it was technically ruled a recession. In 2009 GDP shrank by -2.54%, which was the largest annual decline since the post World War II plunge of -11.6% in 1946.
Extension of Applications of Permit to Drill (APDs)
Lease suspension
Applications for royalty relief
Notably, the March Memo specifically states that the above list is not exhaustive. And, to the extent approval is discretionary (i.e., extensions of APDs), we suspect an oil and gas lessee or operator will have difficultly receiving approval for those above-listed actions.
Although the March Memo is not addressed to the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) serves as a technical advisor to the BIA and is required to approve certain actions that impact Indian tribal and individual trust and restricted lands. The March Memo fails to make this distinction, thus raising the question whether the March Memo also excludes actions taken with respect to Indian tribal and individual trust and restricted lands.