US Judge dismisses legal challenge against Trump's offshore drilling expansion

A federal judge in Alaska on Monday dismissed a lawsuit filed by environmental groups to challenge President Donald Trump’s decision to allow offshore drilling along large swathes of previously protected coast.

Judge Sharon L. Gleason of the U.S. District Court found that the lawsuit filed by groups such as?the Northern Alaska Environmental Center?was premature, because there was no imminent drilling in federal waters which were off-limits under Trump's predecessors.

Gleason left open the possibility that the groups could refile their lawsuit if they wanted.

Earthjustice, a group of environmentalists whose lawyers filed the lawsuit, stated?in a press release that it still believed Trump's actions to be unlawful and would re-file its case if federal officials expanded offshore drilling.

In a press release, the group stated that it was "disappointed" by the court's decision. This administration has done everything it can to open up our coasts for fossil fuel development. We will continue to assert that President Trump's attempts to open withdrawn oil lease areas is illegal, and we plan to pursue these claims when offshore activities begin to appear.

The U.S. Department of Justice didn't immediately respond to an inquiry for comment.

Joe Biden, the former Democratic president of the United States, banned offshore oil and natural gas development on most U.S. coasts before Trump took office. However, this move was largely symbolic as it didn't affect areas where drilling was already underway and covered zones with little development potential.

Trump, a Republican, tried to undo this move as part of a flurry executive orders issued within hours of Trump's inauguration. The executive orders were aimed at?boosting the country's already record high oil and gas production, and unwinding Biden’s efforts to tackle climate change.

Environmental?groups claimed in their February 2025 lawsuit that Trump did not have the authority to undo protections. They also said that drilling in these areas would result in "significant and wide-ranging negative impacts" for endangered species, sensitive ecologies and Native American communities.

(source: Reuters)