Gosar applauds passage of amendment to limit lawsuits on energy projects on federal land

U.S. Rep. Paul A. Gosar (R-AZ) celebrated the recent approval of an amendment to the North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act, H.R. 8, that would limit lawsuits and legal fees related to challenges to energy projects that have been environmentally reviewed and permitted.

“Extremist environmental groups have been abusing our legal system and intentionally pushing frivolous lawsuits to shut down important energy production on federal land,” Gosar said. “Furthermore, these lawsuits engineered by special-interest Washington D.C. lawyers are billing the federal government at exorbitant rates which cost American taxpayers as much as $750 an hour.”

The amendment, which Gosar supported along with Congressmen Jim Bridenstine (R-OK) and Ted Yoho (R-FL), requires all such civil actions to be filed within 90 days of the projects receiving final approval from a federal agency. It also requires expeditious review of such cases by U.S. district courts.

“I’m pleased to see my House colleagues support this commonsense amendment that supports a true all-of-the-above energy strategy and encourages American energy development,” Gosar said. “A government, accountable to the people, should always seek to ensure proper stewardship of the public’s dollar, time and resources. This is a responsible solution that increases transparency and cracks down on overpaid Washington D.C. attorneys and extremist special-interest groups holding-up American energy production.”