US conservation groups filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump on Feb. 19, asserting that the administration violated the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act by issuing an executive order reversing withdrawals of oil and gas leases. The groups filed the suit in the US District Court for the District of Alaska, alleging that the protected waters affected by Trump's order have extensive marine biodiversity that provides social and scientific benefits. The conservationists also noted that the deafening sounds of exploration and drilling activities injure marine life and degrade their habitat, and that the development of just one oil lease would create a 75% chance of an oil spill greater than 1,000 barrels. Pollution from vessels and aircraft around the areas could also cause significant harm, even if an oil spill were not to occur. The conservationists further alleged that surveys and drilling also harm commercial fishing, and therevy ultimately harm local economies.

Oceans legal director at the Center for Biological Diversity, Kristen Monsell, stated:

Trump's putting our oceans, marine wildlife and coastal communities at risk of devastating oil spills and we need the courts to rein in his utter contempt for the law … Offshore oil drilling is destructive from start to finish. Opening up more public waters to the oil industry for short-term gain and political points is a reprehensible and irresponsible way to manage our precious ocean ecosystems.

President Trump issued an executive order on Jan. 20 that overturned a decision by President Joe Biden's administration to protect large areas of ocean from offshore drilling under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA).

President Barack Obama also originally protected the Chukchi, Beaufort and Northern Bering seas in Alaska, as well as 26 major canyons and canyon complexes off the Atlantic coast. During his first term as president, Trump tried to undo the protections implemented by Obama and allow offshore drilling. A federal court, however, invalidated his attempt, finding that the president does not have the power to undo a former president's OCSLA protections.

From JURIST, Feb. 21. Used with permission.