Alaska court dismisses environmental challenge to offshore drilling order

A federal judge in Alaska has dismissed a lawsuit filed by environmental groups that sought to block the Trump administration's efforts to reopen large stretches of previously protected coastline to offshore oil and gas drilling.

U.S. District Judge Sharon L. Gleason ruled on Monday that the challenge, brought by groups including the Northern Alaska Environmental Center, was premature. The judge determined that drilling was not imminent in the federal waters in question, which had been placed off-limits by previous administrations.

The ruling does not address the underlying legal question of whether a president has the authority to reverse a predecessor's withdrawal of coastal areas from drilling. Judge Gleason explicitly left the door open for the groups to refile their lawsuit at a later date.

Earthjustice, the advocacy group whose attorneys filed the case, said in a statement that it remains convinced the administration's actions were unlawful and intends to pursue its claims if offshore activities move forward.

"We're disappointed the court found that offshore drilling activities are not imminent," the group said. "This administration has been doing everything in its power to open our coasts to fossil fuel development. We continue to maintain that President Trump's attempt to open withdrawn areas for oil leasing is unlawful, and we intend to pursue those claims if and when offshore activities are on the horizon."

The U.S. Department of Justice did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The legal challenge stems from an executive order issued by President Donald Trump shortly after his inauguration, which sought to undo a ban on new offshore oil and gas development imposed by former President Joe Biden. Biden's ban, implemented just before leaving office, was widely seen as largely symbolic since it did not affect areas where drilling was already active and mainly covered zones with limited development potential.

In their February 2025 lawsuit, the environmental groups argued that Trump lacked the authority to reverse the protections. They contended that allowing drilling in those areas would have "significant, wide-ranging adverse impacts" on endangered species, sensitive ecosystems, and local Native American communities.