"JUNEAU, Alaska — Environmental groups on Wednesday sued the Biden administration over next week’s planned lease sale in Alaska’s Cook Inlet, saying the sale, mandated by Congress, is based on a faulty environmental review.

The groups aren’t asking a judge to prevent the sale from being held as scheduled Dec. 30. But they want to put “bidders on notice that we’re challenging the lawfulness of the sale, so ... if they bid, they’ll be bidding with that knowledge,” said Erik Grafe, an attorney with Earthjustice who is representing several of the groups.

The lawsuit asks that a judge strike down the environmental review underlying the lease sale and vacate or enjoin any leases that are issued as part of the sale, among other things."

Becky Bohrer reports for the Associated Press December 21, 2022. [2]