Lawsuit Targets Approval of Wildcat Facility Expansion in Utah

Eagle County, Colorado files suit against federal agencies over emergency environmental review process

Apr. 3, 2026 at 10:28pm

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A dynamic, abstract painting with overlapping geometric shapes and brushstrokes in shades of green, brown, and gray, evoking the motion and disruption of increased oil tanker truck traffic.A fractured, high-speed painting captures the disruptive impact of expanded oil transportation through Colorado communities.Eagle Today

Eagle County, Colorado has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Land Management to block the expansion of the Wildcat transloading facility in Helper, Utah. The lawsuit alleges that federal agencies used "arbitrary and unlawful" emergency procedures to bypass standard environmental reviews for the Carbon County facility.

Why it matters

The expansion of the Wildcat facility could significantly increase the amount of waxy crude oil transported out of the Uinta Basin, requiring hundreds more oil tanker truck deliveries through Indian Canyon daily. Colorado communities have raised concerns about the environmental impact this could have, including on water quality, wildlife, and wildfire risk.

The details

The lawsuit argues that both the DOI's issuance of a 'National Energy Emergency' and the BLM's approval of the Wildcat facility expansion violate federal law, including the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, and the Administrative Procedure Act. The expansion could increase the facility's capacity from 30,000 to 100,000 barrels per day and raise the amount of waxy crude oil transported out of the Uinta Basin by 80,000 barrels per day.

  • The Wildcat facility has been in development since 2023.
  • The lawsuit was filed on March 26, 2026 in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

The players

Eagle County, Colorado

The county in Colorado that has filed the lawsuit against the federal agencies.

U.S. Department of the Interior

The federal agency that issued the 'National Energy Emergency' that allowed for the expedited environmental review process.

Bureau of Land Management

The federal agency that approved the expansion of the Wildcat transloading facility in Helper, Utah.

Wildcat transloading facility

The facility in Helper, Utah that is the subject of the lawsuit and expansion plans.

Union Pacific Railroad

The railroad company that owns the rail line that would be used to transport more oil from the Wildcat facility expansion.

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What they’re saying

“Many Colorado communities have raised concerns about how the Wildcat loadout expansion and the Uinta Basin Railway would increase oil train traffic and potential railway accidents that could harm water quality and wildlife, and enhance wildfire risk.”

— Rep. Joe Neguse and Sen. Michael Bennet, Colorado Representatives

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide whether to grant Eagle County's request to block the Wildcat facility expansion and declare the federal agencies' approval process unlawful.

The takeaway

This lawsuit highlights the ongoing tensions between energy development and environmental protection, as well as the use of emergency procedures to bypass standard regulatory reviews. The outcome could set an important precedent for how federal agencies balance these competing priorities in the future.