Trying to stop: The Obama administration is asking a federal judge to uphold its decision to block oil and gas drilling on land considered sacred to some tribes in the U.S. and Canada. As The Associated Press reports, attorneys for the U.S. Justice Department on Monday urged U.S. District Judge Richard Leon to throw out a lawsuit that seeks to overturn the administration’s decision. The lawsuit was filed by Solenex, a Baton Rouge firm. The March cancellation of a 6,200-acre energy lease near Glacier National Park has been assailed by the oil and gas industry and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Business groups say the administration’s move set a precedent that will discourage development if not overturned. Solenex held the lease for 33 years but had yet to drill. The lease is in northwestern Montana’s Badger-Two Medicine area, location of the creation story for the Blackfoot tribes in Montana and Alberta.
Taking sides: Siding with the oil and gas industry and local business, the presidents of Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes told Gov. John Bel Edwards they will not join a coastal erosion lawsuit against oil companies as the governor has requested. The Courier reports that Gordy Dove of Terrebonne and Jimmy Cantrelle of Lafourche delivered to Edwards on Friday a letter that reiterated positions both have taken after their parishes hired attorneys to research the matter earlier this summer. The letter states that oil and gas companies own more than 60% of the land and mineral rights in Terrebonne. Dove also is in talks with two oil-related companies about relocating to Terrebonne and fears the litigation will jeopardize hundreds of jobs. Read the full story.
Spend, spend, spend: Holiday spending is projected to increase 3.6% this year as Americans are expected to spend at a faster clip this year than last year for the critical holiday season. As The Associated Press reports, the National Retail Federation is forecasting holiday sales for the November and December period to rise 3.6% to $655.8 billion, much better than the 3% growth seen in the year-ago period. The forecast comes as retailers continue to wrestle with broader changes in how shoppers are buying. They’re shifting more of their money to experiences like travel and away from clothing and other items. And they’re increasingly buying more online, forcing stores to look at new ways to bring shoppers into their stores. Read the full story.
