Alaska sues Biden administration over oil and gas leases in Arctic refuge

Source: Reuters

January 8, 2025 5:14 AM EST Updated 10 hours ago


Jan 7 (Reuters) - The U.S. state of Alaska has sued the Biden administration for what it calls violations of a Congressional directive to allow oil and gas development in a portion of the federal Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). Monday's lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Alaska challenges the federal government's December 2024 decision to offer oil and gas drilling leases in an area known as the coastal plain with restrictions.

The lawsuit said curbs on surface use and occupancy make it "impossible or impracticable to develop" 400,000 acres (162,000 hectares) of land the U.S. Interior Department plans to auction this month to oil and gas drillers. The limits would severely limit future oil exploration and drilling in the refuge, it added.

"Interior’s continued and irrational opposition under the Biden administration to responsible energy development in the Arctic continues America on a path of energy dependence instead of utilizing the vast resources we have available," Republican Governor Mike Dunleavy said in a statement.

Alaska wants the court to set aside the December decision and prohibit the department from issuing leases at the auction. The department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A spokesperson for the Bureau of Land Management declined to comment.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/legal/alaska-sues-biden-administration-over-oil-gas-leases-arctic-refuge-2025-01-08/