NEW YORK ¨C The Trump administration failed to adequately consider oil spills, climate change and the welfare of polar bears in its expedited study of proposed drilling in Alaska¡¯s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, according to comments published by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service this week.
The unusually harsh criticism from federal wildlife regulators could deal a blow to one of the most high-profile items in President Donald Trump¡¯s energy agenda, and reflects the pitfalls of the administration¡¯s drive to speed up big projects with quicker, shorter environmental studies.
The Interior Department wants to hold its first lease sale of at least 400,000 acres in ANWR, America¡¯s largest wildlife sanctuary, later this year, but could face lawsuits if its permitting process is flawed.
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