03/16/2014
Alaska sues over rejection of Arctic refuge plan
JUNEAU — The state has sued the federal government over rejecting Alaska's exploration plan for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
The state last year proposed a plan aimed at determining the refuge's oil and gas potential. Gov. Sean Parnell's administration argued under the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, the Interior Secretary must approve an exploration plan if it meets necessary requirements.
A regional Fish and Wildlife Service director found, and the agency's director affirmed, that the authorization for an exploration program on the refuge's coastal plain expired in 1987. The lawsuit disputes that.
Parnell said the state sued to ensure Americans have a chance to learn about the region's resources.
The Alaska Wilderness League's Cindy Shogan said it's time for the state to take no for an answer "and move on."
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