In May 2008, the U.S. Interior Department declared the polar bear a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. But now the state of Alaska – led by Gov. Sarah Palin, John McCain’s new running mate – has sued to reverse the decision in order to open the possibility of offshore drilling. From The New York Times:

Gov. Sarah Palin, a Republican, and other state officials say that by listing the bear as threatened, the government will cripple offshore oil and gas development. The lawsuit, filed Monday, argues that the Interior Department failed to consider that polar bears had survived previous warming periods. Kassie Siegel of the Center for Biological Diversity, the lead author of the petition that led to the listing, said the suit and Ms. Palin’s “head-in-the-sand approach to global warming only helps oil companies, certainly not Alaska or the polar bear.” The Interior Department had no statement on the suit.

Originally posted 8/6/2008. Updated 8/29/2008.