Anchorage, Alaska — A significant legal decision on Tuesday saw a federal judge nullify a 2021 oil and gas lease sale in Cook Inlet, spotlighting the environmental concerns surrounding Alaska’s endangered beluga whales. The federal waters southwest of Anchorage, which were initially opened for exploration, will now see a halt in activities following the ruling that condemned the environmental assessments as insufficient.
U.S. District Court Judge Sharon Gleason agreed with environmental advocates that the government’s environmental review failed to adequately consider impacts on the local beluga whale population and other ecological effects. The sole lease obtained in the disputed auction, secured by Hilcorp for $64,000, now remains suspended pending further review.
In 2022, under the mandate of the Inflation Reduction Act—a legislative effort influenced heavily by Independent U.S. Senator Joe Manchin—the Interior Department revived the previously canceled lease sale. This auction proposed nearly one million acres of federal waters for drilling, although it managed to attract minimal interest, mirroring the scant attraction of past lease sales in both state and federal waters.
Environmental groups including the Center for Biological Diversity, Natural Resources Defense Council, and Earthjustice took legal action against the auction. These groups championed the protection of the Cook Inlet’s ecological integrity alongside local organizations such as Cook Inletkeeper, Kachemak Bay Conservation Society, and Alaska Community Action on Toxics.
Judge Gleason pinpointed specific deficiencies in the review process, particularly the underestimation of cumulative impacts on the local beluga population, which rely on echolocation for communication and hunting. The noise pollution from drilling activities, such as from tugs and ships, poses a significant threat by potentially disorienting and harming these marine mammals.
Furthermore, the legal ruling criticized the original environmental assessment for not considering alternative leasing strategies that would decrease overall impacts and enhance informed decision-making and public involvement. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is now required to undertake a supplemental environmental review and, depending on its findings, may need to amend the decision permitting the 2022 sale.
The implications of this ruling extend beyond a temporary halt in drilling. Representatives from Cook Inletkeeper and Alaska Community Action on Toxics have emphasized the broader environmental stakes involved. Loren Barrett of Cook Inletkeeper highlighted the necessity of protecting habitats crucial for the survival of the beluga whales, while Pamela Miller of Alaska Community Action on Toxics called for a pivot towards renewable energy solutions instead of continuing down the path of fossil fuel dependency.
This legal decision underscores the ongoing tension between energy development and environmental conservation, particularly in regions with ecological vulnerabilities. The outcome may serve as a precedent for how endangered species and their habitats are considered in federal energy strategies moving forward.