ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Legal Newsline) — A group of conservation organizations are suing President Trump and otehr administration officials, alleging violation of federal law.
The League of Conservation Voters, Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club, Alaska Wilderness League, Defenders of Wildlife, Northern Alaska Environmental Center, Resisting Environmental Destruction on Indigenous Lands, the Center for Biological Diversity, Greenpeace Inc. and the Wilderness Society filed a complaint May 3 in U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska against President Trump, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, alleging they are attempting to undo the protections of the Arctic Ocean and other underwater canyons under U.S. controls.
According to the complaint, the plaintiffs have suffered damages on behalf of the communities that will be impacted by the removal of permanent protection of the underwater canyons. The plaintiffs allege the defendants issued an illegal executive order April 28 to reverse the Arctic and Atlantic Ocean withdrawals.
The plaintiffs seek to declare the defendants' executive order invalid, enjoin the defendants, all legal fees, and all other relief the court deems just. They are represented by attorneys Erik Grafe and Eric P. Jorgensen of Earthjustice in Anchorage.
U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska Case number 3:17-cv-00101-SLG