On Tuesday, a federal judge in Anchorage ruled that the US Department of the Interior acted illegally by cancelling Alaska’s oil leases. Judge Sharon Gleason’s decision favouring the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) cleared the way for oil drilling.
The court found that the Interior Department failed to secure a court order before cancelling AIDEA’s leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). Due to the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Judge Gleason stated that ANWR leases require court approval before cancellation.
The Biden administration had previously suspended and cancelled the leases due to flaws in Trump’s administration’s 2021 lease sale process. AIDEA, the only remaining leaseholder after two other companies surrendered their leases, filed a lawsuit in response to the cancellation.
Claiming shortcomings in the Trump administration’s 2021 lease sale procedure, the Biden administration postponed and terminated the leases earlier. The revocation prompted a lawsuit from AIDEA, the sole surviving leaseholder, following the surrender of leases by two other corporations.
Judge Gleason decided the cancellation was illegal under federal law but upheld the suspension order. Alaska’s Deputy Attorney General Cori Mills celebrated the decision, emphasizing its potential to advance Alaska’s economy and America’s energy independence.
She expressed regret over delays caused by litigation but confirmed that the state intends to pursue field studies and development. Environmental and tribal groups opposed the decision, warning of significant ecological harm from oil drilling in ANWR’s coastal plain.
Highlighting the region’s significance to their communities and future generations, Kristen Moreland, executive director of the Gwichín Steering Committee, vowed to keep protecting it. Judge Gleason’s decision nullified the cancellation, sending the decision back to federal authorities despite the Biden administration’s claims that the lease auction was faulty.
AIDEA was allowed to perform seismic testing when Interior Secretary Doug Burgum revealed plans to unlock the whole coastal plain for development. The oil drilling court ruling highlights the ongoing legal and political battles surrounding oil extraction in the Arctic.
This news article was originally published by Alaska Beacon.
