The State of Alaska filed a lawsuit against the federal government, alleging a violation of a congressional directive mandating the development of oil and gas resources in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge’s (ANWR) Coastal Plain.
Known as the Section 1002 Area, the 1.5 million-acre stretch of Alaska’s northern coast was designated by Congress in 1980 for potential energy development.
In 2017, Congress explicitly directed federal agencies to open the area for oil and gas leasing.
But a December, 2024 decision by the U.S. Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Land Management significantly curtailed this directive.
While the decision nominally allows leasing on 400,000 acres, the State’s complaint claims the newly imposed restrictions render development economically and practically infeasible.
Governor Mike Dunleavy criticized the Biden Administration’s stance, calling it a barrier to U.S. energy independence and Alaska’s economic growth.
“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,” Dunleavy said. “These resources not only help our energy independence as a nation but also grow the Alaska economy and put more money in the Alaska Permanent Fund for future generations,” Dunleavy said.
Dunleavy expressed optimism about the incoming Trump Administration’s approach to energy policy but emphasized the need for immediate legal action.
Alaska Attorney General Treg Taylor accused the federal government of sidestepping legal requirements.
“Congress did not authorize a new direction for ANWR,” Taylor said. “President Biden’s Administration ignored the law and took this unlawful detour without even presenting their final decision to the public for comment. We challenged the unprecedented cancellation of validly executed leases after the first sale, and we’ll take on this fight as well.”
John Boyle, Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, echoed these sentiments, labeling the federal government’s actions as shortsighted and harmful to both Alaskans and the broader American public.
“These last-minute actions to restrict and complicate the Coastal Plain development program to the point of total dysfunction is yet another example of the Biden Administration’s shortsightedness,” Boyle said. “The people of the United States, and especially the Alaskans who live within the Coastal Plain, deserve for the federal law that calls for development of these resources to be put to full effect.”
This lawsuit follows a July, 2024 filing by the State of Alaska seeking damages for billions in lost revenue after nine federal oil and gas leases in the Coastal Plain were canceled. That case remains pending.
The full complaint in the latest lawsuit has been filed in U.S. District Court. Read the complaint here.
Right on target. That’s exactly what to do! Excellent move.
Next up will be a no bid contract for legal fees, granted by Dunleavy to one of his cronies, and paid for by the citizens of Alaska.
Finally! Thank You!
This should have been done more aggressively in instances like this 30 years ago. Thanks, Tony Knowles, for giving so much away so many years ago.
Drill, drill, drill.
Another frivolous lawsuit. The federal government giveth, also can taketh away.
Why waste the money? Trump will turn it around 13 days People should ignore Biden. What he says and does now doesn’t matter.