Woods Petroleum Corp. v. Department of Interior

Acknowledging the Secretary of the Interi- or’s fiduciary obligations, the majority overturns a decision that resulted in the negotiation of more lucrative leases on behalf of Indian mineral owners. I find the majority’s reasoning inconsistent with both the paramount obligation of trust that our government owes to its indigenous peoples and with the great deference that we generally afford to agency decisions. By imposing requirements on the Secretary that we have not *1042required of other agencies, the majority undermines the generally established standard of review for administrative decisions.…