Lawsuit Challenges Trump’s Massive Public Lands Giveaway in Alaska

A coalition of ten Alaska and national groups has filed a lawsuit against the Interior Department, challenging its decision to remove federal protections from approximately 2 million acres of public lands in Alaska. These lands, previously safeguarded for over 50 years, stretch from the Yukon River to the Brooks Range and were subject to federal oversight intended to protect Arctic ecosystems and infrastructure like the Dalton Highway and Trans-Alaska Pipeline. The lawsuit alleges that the removal of these protections, enacted through Public Land Orders 5150 and 5180, unlawfully opens the area to industrialization, including mining claims and the potential construction of the Ambler Road.

Plaintiffs argue that the decision lowers environmental standards for extractive projects and threatens subsistence users who rely on the land for their livelihoods. Critics contend the Interior Secretary made the decision in February without public comment or consultation with affected communities, despite acknowledging potential environmental harm. The suit asserts violations of several federal laws, including the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act and the National Environmental Policy Act.

Organizations involved in the lawsuit, including the Sierra Club and Trustees for Alaska, emphasize the ecological significance of the area, highlighting its importance for wildlife migration, subsistence hunting and fishing, and intact Arctic ecosystems. They accuse the Trump administration of prioritizing mining interests and disregarding public interests, transparency, and legal obligations in its effort to transfer public lands to private interests.

(Source：Clean Technica)