Federal judge overturns Izembek land exchange for proposed King Cove road

Ruling overturns land trade in Alaska wildlife refuge, casts doubt on road plan

Pacific black brant fly above Izembek Lagoon at Izembek National Wildlife Refuge on Dec. 27, 2013. The refuge is used as a migratory stop for nearly the entire global population of Pacific black brant. Road supporters say the access route is needed for emergency evacuations, while road opponents say brant and other important birds and wildlife would be harmed by the project. (Photo by Kristine Sowl/U.S. Fish and Wildlfie Service)A federal judge …

Federal Court Blocks King Cove Road, Places Animal Concerns Above Alaskans' Safety

In a decision that prioritizes procedural requirements and wildlife protections over the urgent safety needs of an isolated Alaska Native community, U.S. District Judge Sharon L. Gleason on August 17, 2026, vacated Interior Secretary Doug Burgum’s approval of a land exchange that would have allowed construction of a road connecting King Cove to the all-weather […] The post Federal Court Blocks King Cove Road, Places Animal Concerns Above Alaskan…

Federal judge throws out King Cove land exchange; Alaska plans appeal, looks to build portions of road in refuge

The decision is a win for conservation groups and three Alaska Native tribes that sued, though groups remain concerned that part of the road may be built.

Court blocks road through Alaskan wildlife refuge

A federal judge on Tuesday blocked a land exchange that would have allowed a contentious road to be built through the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge.

Federal judge overturns Izembek land exchange for proposed King Cove road

A federal judge overturned a land exchange intended to allow a road through Alaska's Izembek National Wildlife Refuge, finding the Interior Department violated federal laws.

Alaska Victory: Judge Blocks Izembek Refuge Land Exchange

Center for Biological Diversity: ANCHORAGE, Alaska— A federal judge today overturned the Trump administration’s decision to trade away and privatize federal public lands in Alaska’s Izembek National Wildlife Refuge. The land exchange, which the court canceled, would have facilitated construction of a road through the refuge.