Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit December 2, 2002, Nos. 01-16637, 01-16690 (California v. Norton)

OPINION

D.W. NELSON, Senior Circuit Judge.

Appellants (“United States”)1 granted “suspensions” of thirty-six oil leases off*1165shore of central California pursuant to 43 U.S.C. § 1334(a)(1). The purpose of the lease suspensions was to extend the lives of the leases and to allow the lessees to “facilitate proper development of the lease[s].” 43 U.S.C. § 1334(a)(1).