Washington Attorney General Nick Brown has filed a friend-of-the-court brief supporting three lawsuits challenging the Trump administration’s decision to allow oil and gas development on the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. The lawsuits were filed by Alaska Native villages and environmental groups such as Earthjustice and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). The refuge, the largest in the United States, spans 1.6 million acres and is home to polar bears, caribou, and numerous migratory bird species.
The move marks a new chapter in a long-running legal battle. In 2020, the Trump administration first opened the area for drilling leases, but received only three applications. Under President Biden, the process was paused, but after Trump’s re-election, the Department of the Interior announced in October that the coastal plain would once again be opened to oil and gas projects. In response, the plaintiffs supplemented their original 2020 lawsuits.
In the brief, Brown and 13 other attorneys general argue that the drilling program will harm migratory birds, including Pacific loons, western sandpipers, and red knots, which travel between Pacific states and the refuge. The document also points to a rushed and incomplete environmental assessment by the Bureau of Land Management that, the authors say, does not comply with laws governing national wildlife refuges. Citing state data, the brief notes that hunting and birdwatching bring roughly $2 billion a year to Washington’s economy. The state has unique ecosystem diversity—from the Pacific coastline to the Cascade Mountains and desert plateaus in the east. Millions of hunters and amateur birders spend money on licenses, gear, transportation, lodging, and food, boosting local businesses. For example, Olympic National Park or the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge draw tens of thousands of tourists each year, and revenue from licenses and taxes on recreational goods directly supports the state budget.
The coalition of attorneys general, including representatives from California, Oregon, and other states, was led by Nick Brown. The brief also emphasizes that climate change is already raising sea levels, driving extreme weather events, and acidifying the ocean—and that new emissions from development will only worsen the situation. Washington is among the leaders in the fight against climate change: more than 70% of the electricity generated in the state comes from hydropower on the Columbia River, creating a nearly carbon-free power system. In addition, the Climate Commitment Act, which requires a 95% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, is supported by major subsidies for electric vehicles and continued development of charging infrastructure. The state is also home to the headquarters of Microsoft and Amazon, which invest in renewable energy and carbon-neutral technologies—all of which places Washington at the forefront of U.S. climate policy. The lawsuits are also supported by the Venetie village government, the Gwich’in Committee, and the Center for Biological Diversity. Protecting the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge remains one of the top environmental priorities for the Pacific Northwest states.
Based on: WA AG files brief opposing drilling in Arctic