EARA

The Expedited Appeals Review Act (EARA) requires the Board of Land Appeals to issue a final decision on appeals of specific Department of the Interior decisions within 6 months of a party’s request for expedited review, but not before 18 months have passed since the appeal was initially filed. If the Board misses this deadline, the Department’s decision is treated as final for judicial review, and courts must review it without giving special weight to the agency’s original decision. This law applies to appeals pending when the Act takes effect or filed afterward.