Case: Eagle County, Colorado v. U.S. Department of Interior
1:26-cv-01039 | U.S. District Court for the District of District of Columbia
Filed Date: March 26, 2026
Case Ongoing
Clearinghouse coding complete
Case Summary
This case challenges the United States Department of the Interior’s (DOI) use of emergency procedures to expedite oil facility expansions while bypassing environmental review procedures, threatening to significantly increase oil train traffic throughout Eagle County.
On March 26, 2026, Eagle County, Colorado, filed suit against the DOI and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Represented by private counsel, the County alleged that the DOI improperly issued emergency environmental review procedures called "Alternative Arrangements" in response to a declared "National Energy Emergency." BLM then used these procedures to rush approval of an expansion of the Wildcat Loadout Facility in Utah that would significantly increase oil train traffic through the County. The County alleged that BLM had previously committed to a thorough environmental review with public participation for this project, but reversed course and approved the expansion in weeks without public input. According to the complaint, the facility expansion would cause a 400% increase in oil transloading, sending significantly more oil trains along the Union Pacific Railroad line running through Eagle County alongside the Colorado River. The County brought seven causes of action under various federal statutes, including the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Eagle County sought declaratory and injunctive relief to invalidate both the Alternative Arrangements and BLM's facility expansion decision, along with orders requiring FOIA compliance and an award of attorney fees and costs. The case was assigned to District Judge Trevor N. McFadden. Defendants filed an answer on May 4.
This case is ongoing.
Summary Authors
Vedant Vamshidhar (7/2/2026)
Claire Pollard (3/29/2026)
People
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73045456/parties/eagle-county-colorado-v-united-states-department-of-interior/
McFadden, Trevor Neil (District of Columbia)
Hunt, Nathaniel Hemmerick (District of Columbia)
Hajek, Luther L. (District of Columbia)
Jones, Sian (District of Columbia)
Documents in the Clearinghouse
Docket
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73045456/eagle-county-colorado-v-united-states-department-of-interior/
Last updated Aug. 30, 2026, 3:22 a.m.
Docket for: EAGLE COUNTY, COLORADO v. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR
Case Details
State / Territory:
Case Type(s):
Special Collection(s):
Trump Administration 2.0: Challenges to the Government
Key Dates
Filing Date: March 26, 2026
Case Ongoing: Yes
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
Eagle County, Colorado
Plaintiff Type(s):
Public Interest Lawyer: No
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
Federal
Bureau of Land Management
United States Department of the Interior
Defendant Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. §§ 551 et seq.
FOIA (Freedom of Information Act), 5 U.S.C. § 552
National Environmental Protection Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 4321–4370f
Other Dockets:
District of District of Columbia 1:26-cv-01039
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: None Yet / None
Relief Sought:
Relief Granted:
Source of Relief:
Issues
Environmental Justice and Resources:
Petroleum and petroleum byproducts
Case Summary of Eagle County, Colorado v. U.S. Department of Interior, Civil Rights Litig. Clearinghouse, https://clearinghouse.net/case/47987/ (last updated 3/29/2026).