Biden admin abruptly axes Alaska oil and gas leases backed by state lawmakers, Native Americans
Alaska state agency to challenge federal action in court, conduct discovery of top Biden admin officials
By Thomas Catenacci Fox News
Published September 6, 2023 2:47pm EDT
The Biden administration canceled several oil and gas leases issued in early 2021 to an Alaskan state economic development agency, it announced Wednesday.
The Department of the Interior (DOI) rescinded the seven 10-year leases — spanning 365,775 acres in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) — held by the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) and supported by a wide range of stakeholders, including lawmakers and Native Alaskans. The leases were issued by the Trump administration in one of its final actions.
"This latest action by the Department of the Interior against Alaska and Native Alaskans living inside ANWR shows arbitrary disregard for federal law, based on campaign trail rhetoric. Campaign promises are not enough to justify this agency action," AIDEA Executive Director Randy Ruaro told Fox News Digital. "Under the law, Interior must present real facts and reasons that support this reversal in position."
"Interior’s action leaves AIDEA one choice, we have to go to court to protect our rights in the ANWR leases," he continued. "This time, we will ask the court to allow us to conduct discovery that could include taking the deposition of Biden’s messenger, [Interior] Secretary [Deb] Haaland, and possibly other administration officials involved, so the real motives are made public."
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https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-admin-axe-alaska-oil-gas-leases-backed-state-lawmakers-native-americans
