                IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
                        FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT

                     __________________________

                             No. 01-31176
                       __________________________


STEVE H. CROOKS; ERA LEA CROOKS; THURSTON M. BEADLE,

                                                Plaintiffs-Appellants,

versus

PLACID OIL CO.; LOUISIANA HUNT PETROLEUM CORP.; HUNT
PETROLEUM CORP.; GALE NORTON, Secretary of the United
States Department of the Interior; UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA,

                                                    Defendants-Appellees.

           _______________________________________________

             Appeal from the United States District Court
                 For the Western District of Louisiana
                            (No. 00-CV-1324)
         ___________________________________________________

                          September 9, 2002

Before REAVLEY, BARKSDALE, and CLEMENT, Circuit Judges.

PER CURIAM:*

     After carefully reviewing the record and the briefs, we affirm

for essentially the reasons given by the district court.




     *
     Pursuant to 5TH CIR. R. 47.5, the Court has determined that
this opinion should not be published and is not precedent except
under the limited circumstances set forth in 5TH CIR. R. 47.5.4.
