US sued over 'failure to examine harms' from delayed offshore oil decommissioning

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🗞️ Driving the news: The Center for Biological Diversity sued the U.S. Interior Department for failing to assess the environmental harms of delayed offshore oil and gas decommissioning
• Over 2,700 wells and 500 platforms in the Gulf of Mexico are overdue for decommissioning, posing risks to the environment

🔭 The context: Offshore oil and gas infrastructure must be dismantled by plugging wells and removing platforms to prevent environmental damage
• The lawsuit claims the government's approach violates the National Environmental Policy Act, which mandates thorough environmental impact assessments

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Unplugged wells and idle platforms can cause significant environmental harm, affecting marine life and ecosystems
• Proper decommissioning is crucial to mitigate these risks and protect the Gulf environment

⏭️ What's next: The lawsuit aims to compel the Interior Department to conduct a new, comprehensive environmental analysis
• Concurrently, Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi are challenging a proposed rule requiring the industry to provide $7 billion in financial assurances for dismantling old infrastructure

💬 One quote: The Center for Biological Diversity stated, "The government's current approach violates the National Environmental Policy Act because it has not adequately assessed the harm caused by delayed decommissioning"

📈 One stat: As of June 2023, more than 2,700 wells and 500 platforms in the Gulf of Mexico were overdue for decommissioning

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