NGOs Sue Over Polar Bears and Oil & Gas in the Chukchi
On July 8, 2008, the Center for Biological Diversity and Pacific Environment sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the U. S. District Court for Alaska. Their complaint alleges that FWS violated the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, and the Endangered Species Act when FWS promulgated regulations authorizing the "incidental Take" of polar bears and pacific walruses during oil and gas operations in the Chukchi Sea off the coast of Alaska.

The complaint seeks a variety of declaratory and injunctive relief including an order setting aside the Chukchi take regulations; setting aside the EA, FONSI and Biological Opinion underlying them; and setting aside any letters of authorization issued pursuant to the regulations.

As of the date this article was posted, the government had not yet responded to the complaint.