Alaska Native groups to sue over polar bear plan

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A coalition of Alaska Native groups has put the federal government on notice that they intend to sue over a recovery plan for polar bears faced with diminishing sea ice and climate change.

The Arctic Slope Regional Corporation is leading a coalition of groups that feel the federal government ignored their concerns when it designated critical habitat for polar bears.

The groups sent a letter to the Interior Department on Monday alerting the federal agency of the upcoming lawsuit.

Polar bears were declared threatened in 2008. More than 187,000 square miles in and near the Beaufort and Chukchi seas has been designated as polar bear critical habitat. The designation is required for a recovery plan.