Utoo Radio with Other News Sources - January 19, 2026 - Thirteen organizations, including the Gwich'in Steering Committee, have filed an amended lawsuit against the Trump administration for reopening Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) coastal plain to oil and gas leasing, claiming it threatens the Porcupine caribou herd and Gwich'in way of life.

The Trump government's intention to lease approximately 6,070 square kilometres of the coastal plain reignited the 2020 litigation, which was suspended during the Biden administration.

Porcupine caribou, which feed local populations, are declining.

Gwich’in leaders express concerns about leasing’s environmental impact, while the Voice of the Arctic Inupiat, representing several villages, supports oil and gas activity.

Organizations want conservation and legal engagement in the ANWR oil drilling issue despite expected economic hurdles and firms' lack of interest in bidding.