Federal government drops appeal for road through Izembek National Wildlife Refuge

The Trump administration has dropped its appeal of a court case that blocked a proposed road through a national wildlife refuge in Alaska. But it may pursue other legal means to build a land route between two rural villages.

The federal government had appealed the rejection of a road through Izembek National Wildlife Refuge, an internationally recognized habitat for migrating waterfowl on the Alaska Peninsula.

The proposed road would connect the village of King Cove, which frequently sees flights canceled because of weather hazards, to Cold Bay, which has an all-weather airport.

U.S. District Court Judge Sharon Gleason in March ruled that former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke did not adequately explain his decision when he approved a land exchange for the road. Zinke’s predecessor, Sally Jewell, had rejected the land exchange. She followed the recommendation of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which in 2013 concluded that a road could cause irrevocable damage to the watershed.

"When Secretary Zinke signed that land exchange agreement, he didn't really address those prior findings and didn't have any real findings of fact or record to rely on," said attorney Bridget Psarianos of Trustees for Alaska, which represented environmental groups in the court case. "And that's just not how administrative agencies are permitted to make decisions."

The federal government appealed to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. However, even then, Interior Department officials suggested they might seek a different legal approach to building the road, Psarianos said.

"Whatever options they consider, we'll be taking a close look at and be on the ready for," she said.

Interior officials were not available for interviews on Monday. They did not immediately respond to an email request for comment Tuesday.

King Cove residents for decades have sought the road and say it's needed for medical emergencies. They have the backing of the Alaska congressional delegation.

Congress created the 486-square-mile refuge in 1980.

The road would split an isthmus as narrow as 3 miles on the southern border of Izembek Lagoon. The lagoon holds one of the world’s largest beds of eelgrass, a rich food source for Pacific brant geese, endangered Steller’s eider sea ducks and other migratory birds.