ELR Citation: 55 ELR 20039
No(s). 3:24-cv-00051-SLG (D. Alaska Mar 25, 2025) (Gleason, J.)

A district court vacated DOI's termination of seven lease agreements with the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) for development of oil and gas resources in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. AIDEA argued DOI deprived it of due process under the Fifth Amendment by canceling the leases, deprived it of due process required by the APA, lacked authority to cancel the leases for the reasons proffered, was required to provide AIDEA an opportunity to cure before cancellation, and was required to obtain a court order to cancel the leases; and that there were no errors in the original EIS that justified cancellation. The court found the Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act, which provides that leases may be canceled only by court order, applied to the leases, and thus concluded DOI was required to obtain a court order before canceling them. It vacated DOI's decision and remanded for further proceedings.