This week the U.S. Department of the Interior asked a federal judge to give them more time to respond to a lawsuit over canceled oil and gas leases in the Lewis and Clark National Forest.
The former lease owner is suing. Earlier this month, lawyers for Louisiana based Solenex LLC asked the court to find that the Secretary of the Interior acted outside the law when canceling their 33-year old lease.
That request came following a 2015 federal court ruling that Solenex had been unreasonably delayed by the government when their lease was suspended during the Clinton Administration.
The controversial oil and gas lease is located on land considered sacred by the Blackfeet Tribe.
The dispute is now in its third year in court.
Solenex did not oppose Interior's request for a week extension.
The next case briefing is on October 3.
