Unalaska, AK – Today, the state of Alaska filed a lawsuit against the federal government with the objective of overturning a moratorium on offshore drilling in the Outer Continental Shelf. State Attorney General Dan Sullivan is arguing that the federal government did not adequately discuss the moratorium with state officials and failed to consider its economic impact.

However, the Department of the Interior contends that there isn't actually a moratorium in place. This spring, Secretary Ken Salazar said that arctic drilling would be suspended until 2011. But in the past month, Michael Bromwich, who is the head of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, has said no moratorium exists and that his division is now focused on studying oil spill prevention measures.

The state contends that no arctic drilling means a wasted opportunity to provide jobs for hundreds of Alaskans. The major concern about offshore arctic drilling is that oil spill clean-up could be difficult, if not impossible, during the winter due to darkness and extreme cold.