Two environmental groups have filed notice that they plan to sue the US federal government for not imposing new regulations on oil development in Alaska’s Arctic waters as part of offering protective status to polar bears.
The Center for Biological Diversity and Pacific Environment said the Interior Department is violating the Endangered Species Act by giving oil companies exploring the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas a pass from additional regulation.
“The only thing keeping pace with the drastic melting of the Arctic sea ice is the breakneck speed with which the Department of the Interior is rushing to sell off polar bear habitat for fossil fuel development,” said Brendan Cummings, oceans program director for the Center for Biological Diversity in a statement.