Six groups filed a lawsuit on Tuesday in US District Court charging the Interior Department, multiple agencies and agency officials with violating an array of laws when authorising ConocoPhillips’ Willow oil and gas project in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska. Another group, Earthjustice, also plans to file a lawsuit.
The Biden administration approved Willow on March 10. According to a press release from the groups challenging that decision, that determination was made despite the administration’s acknowledging and failing to mitigate known harms to Arctic communities, public health, wildlife and the climate.
“Once again, we find ourselves going to court to protect our lives, our communities and our future,” said Siqiñiq Maupin, executive director of Sovereign Inupiat for a Living Arctic. “The Biden administration’s approval of the ConocoPhillips Willow project makes no sense for the health of the Arctic or the planet and comes after numerous calls by local communities for tribal consultation and real recognition of the impacts to land, water, animals and people. ConocoPhillips has made record profits year after year and hopes to continue to do so at the cost of our communities and future generations.”
The lawsuit charges the US Bureau of Land Management, the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the US Department of the Interior with violating their respective duties under the National Environmental Policy Act, the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, the Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act, and the Endangered Species Act.
Among the lawsuit’s counts includes one that charges agencies with violating NEPA by failing to consider alternatives that would further reduce impacts to subsistence users, preclude drilling in sensitive ecosystems or reduce greenhouse gas emissions or climate impacts. It further charges agencies for not taking a hard look at direct, indirect and cumulative impacts, as required by NEPA, including impacts on greenhouse gas emissions and climate change, air quality, polar bears, caribou, wetlands, and subsistence uses and resources.
The public interest non-profit law firm Trustees for Alaska filed the suit in Anchorage, on behalf of Sovereign Iñupiat for a Living Arctic, Alaska Wilderness League, Northern Alaska Environmental Center, Environment America, Sierra Club and The Wilderness Society.
