Appeals court affirms oil company polar bear rules

Legal Events

Oil companies operating in the Chukchi Sea off Alaska's northwest coast will have a negligible effect on polar bears and walrus, according to a federal Appeals Court ruling Tuesday that backed U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rules on harassment of the animals.

A three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals said the agency correctly issued rules that provide legal protection to oil companies if small numbers of polar bears or Pacific walruses are incidentally harmed.

"We're glad that the court has reaffirmed the appropriateness of our conservation measures," agency spokesman Bruce Woods said.

The Center for Biological Diversity sued over the rules, claiming both individual animals and entire populations must be analyzed for protection. Center attorney Rebecca Noblin said the Appeals Court agreed but concluded the Fish and Wildlife Service had done sufficient separate analyses. Noblin called the decision disappointing.

The Marine Mammal Protection Act generally prohibits the "take" of marine mammals. Take is defined to include harassment or annoyance that has the potential to injure or that could disrupt behavior patterns such as migration, nursing, breeding and feeding.

Related listings

  • Appeals court affirms that cheering is not a sport

    Appeals court affirms that cheering is not a sport

    Legal Events 08/08/2012

    A federal appeals court has ruled that colleges cannot count competitive cheerleading as a sport when trying to comply with gender-equity requirements, upholding a U.S. District Court decision against Quinnipiac University. In a decision released Tue...

  • Court spurns religious claim to name change

    Court spurns religious claim to name change

    Legal Events 08/02/2012

    An appeals court has rejected a Kansas man's claim that the federal justice system's refusal to recognize his new Muslim name violates his constitutional religious rights. The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday that Michael White failed...

  • Goldman agrees to settle mortgage debt class action

    Goldman agrees to settle mortgage debt class action

    Legal Events 07/20/2012

    Goldman Sachs Group Inc has agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit with investors who claimed losses on $698 million of securities backed by risky mortgage loans issued by defunct subprime lender New Century Financial Corp. Lawyers for the investors...

New Rochelle, New York Work Accidents Lawyers

It doesn’t matter what type of work you do or where you work, you can always be at risk of injuring yourself at your work no matter how safe you may think it is. Accidents in the workplace are often caused by unsafe work conditions arising from ignoring safety rules, overlooking maintenance or other negligence of those in management. Work accidents can cause serious injuries and sometimes permanent damage. Some extremely serious work injuries can permanently hinder a person’s ability to get around and continue their daily duties.

Factors that affect one’s quality of life like place of work, relationships with friends and family, social standing can all be taken away quickly by a work injury. Although, you may not be able to recover all of your losses, you may be entitled to compensation as a result of your work injury. In order to ensure that you and your loved ones receive the best outcome, make sure you have the help of an experienced New Rochelle, New York workplace injury lawyer you deserve. We can get you on your way to filing a claim against the responsible party. If you have been injured at your place of work it is important to know your options by seeking legal action. Kommer Bave & Ollman LLP offers a free case evaluation where we will answer any questions you may have and explain your legal options. Call us at 914-633-7400 or contact our firm to schedule a free consultation with an experienced attorney.

Business News

Clayton, MO Federal Criminal Defense Attorney The Law Offices of John M. Lynch, LLC, provides strong representation for clients with federal criminal defense. >> read