A U.S. judge has refused to halt oil and gas lease sales in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge that were pushed by the Trump administration in its final days.
U.S. District Court Judge Sharon Gleason made the decision Tuesday. It involves a region valued by conservationists for its beauty and wildlife and seen as sacred to some Indigenous people but viewed by others as a way to boost oil production and create jobs.
The decision came after conservationists and Indigenous groups argued the lease sale scheduled for Wednesday was based on inadequate environmental reviews or outdated information.
The judge was asked to halt the sale until underlying lawsuits are resolved. But in her ruling, Gleason said the groups had not shown a level of harms necessary for her to grant an injunction.
President-elect Joe Biden has opposed drilling in the region.
© Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.