The federal district court for the District of Alaska denied motions to dismiss an action challenging President Trump’s executive order reversing President Obama’s withdrawals of coastal areas in the Arctic’s Beaufort and Chukchi Seas from oil and gas leasing. The court said the doctrine of sovereign immunity did not apply because the plaintiffs asserted that President Trump acted beyond the powers delegated to him by the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) and under the Constitution. The court also concluded that plaintiffs did not need express congressional authorization to bring their claims under the OCSLA and the Constitution’s Property Clause and that restrictions on the declaratory relief that courts could issue against the president did not warrant dismissal of the entire action. In addition, the court found that the plaintiffs had adequately alleged standing and that OCSLA did not require that the action be brought in the D.C. Circuit.

Challenge to executive order reversing President Obama’s withdrawal of lands in the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans from future oil and gas leasing.

League of Conservation Voters v. Trump

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Alaska Federal Court Allowed Plaintiffs to Proceed with Lawsuit Challenging Reversal of Obama’s Withdrawal of Arctic Coastal Areas from Oil and Gas Leasing

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Challenge to executive order reversing President Obama’s withdrawal of lands in the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans from future oil and gas leasing. 

Alaska Federal Court Allowed Plaintiffs to Proceed with Lawsuit Challenging Reversal of Obama’s Withdrawal of Arctic Coastal Areas from Oil and Gas Leasing

Policy instrument

Impacted group

Renewable energy

Fossil fuel

Greenhouse gas

Economic sector