Conservation Groups Sue Trump Over Alaska Land Protections

0:00Anchorage story is making news on March 11. Ten conservation groups filed a lawsuit this week against the Trump administration for lifting long-standing protections on 2.1 million, acres of federal land in Interior Alaska. The suit challenges the Interior Department's move to cancel public land orders from the early 1970s that safeguarded areas around the 800-mile trans-Alaska oil pipeline. The decision finalized late last February, hands controlled to the state, paving the way for projects like a 211-mile road to remote. Mines and a major natural gas pipeline from the North Slope. Critics say the Department skipped public hearings, ignored community input, and broke multiple federal laws in the process. Conservation leaders worry about threats to wildlife habitats for salmon, caribou, mousse, and birds, plus spots vital for local subsistence hunting, and fishing. The land sits between gates of the Arctic National Park and the Arctic National Wildlife

1:02Refuge, raising fears of broader damage to ecosystems and rural communities. State officials in Alaska's congressional delegation praise the change as a boost for energy and mineral development to grow the economy. Meanwhile, some tribal groups condemned it for lacking consultation and endangering food sources. The case landed in federal court and anchorage on Tuesday with the Interior Department offering no comments so far. We'll keep an eye on how this unfolds for Alaska's wild lands. The Daily News Now is made possible with support from our sponsor. It is a pillow that plays your podcast and music without earbuds. So for listening in bed, S-O-L-I, solely pillow.com.