Opinion ID: 331837
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Standing to Challenge 25 CFR 171.9(b).

Text: 53 25 CFR § 171.9(b) provides an acreage limitation on coal leases, viz.: 54 (1) For coal, a lease shall ordinarily be limited to 2,560 acres. The Commissioner may, however, upon application, approve the combining of leases held by one or more lessees, or approve the issuance of a single lease for more than 2,560 acres in a reasonably compact form, if he shall find that the approval of such larger acreage is in the interest of the lessor and is necessary to permit the establishment or construction of thermal electric power plants or other industrial facilities on or near the reservation. 55 The coal leases before us involve 14,745.92 and 16,167.26 acres, respectively, and there is no evidence that the larger acreage will be utilized to construct power plants on or near the Crow reservation. 11 56 Our conclusion that the appellants lack standing to challenge a violation of 25 CFR § 171.9(b) is rooted in the fact that they can suffer no 'injury in fact' as a result of this violation that is separate and apart from the alleged injuries we have held sufficient to enable appellants to litigate their first and second claims. These alleged injuries made it possible for the appellants to attack the existence of the leases. If the injuries exist in fact, they also will exist without regard to whether the mining operations are conducted under twelve leases of 2,560 acres apiece or under two leases of 14,745.92 and 16,167.26 acres respectively. In either event, the injuries of which the appellants complain are the same; in neither event have the appellants alleged an injury in fact attributable to the size of the leases. 57