Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell is suing the federal government to overturn the listing of polar bears as a threatened species. Parnell believes the listing could threaten Alaska's petroleum development industry and impede the state’s prosperity.

"Currently some are attempting to improperly use the Endangered Species Act to shut down resource development," Parnell said. "I'm not going to let this happen on my watch."

Polar bear protection could keep Alaska from turning to potential offshore discoveries to refill the trans-Alaska pipeline and ensure the long-term prospects of a $26 billion proposed natural gas pipeline.

Alaska Attorney General Dan Sullivan said that for the first time, the federal government listed a species with high population numbers. Polar bear population numbers are estimated to be 20,000 to 25,000 worldwide, up from 8,000 to 10,000 in the 1960s.

Parnell said in October that the Endangered Species Act was being used as a "land use planning tool" instead of a species protection vehicle and the state filed new briefs in his predecessor, Sarah Palin’s, polar bear lawsuit.

Parnell announced his full support for outer continental shelf petroleum development back in September.

Kassie Siegel, the attorney for the Center for Biological Diversity, said an overall view of the research - declining cub survival, declining body size, diminishing sea ice - led to the listing decision.

Sullivan says this legal theory could set a precedent that would ensure Alaska’s future as the world’s largest zoo with no real benefit to the state’s wildlife.