The Trump administration said Thursday it will reopen most of Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve and will enable a liquid natural gas pipeline and mining road in the state in a move aimed at fulfilling President Trump’s bid to unleash U.S. energy production.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced the agency will reopen up to 82% of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska that is available for leasing and will “expand development opportunities” in the approximately 23 million acre reserve to include untouched areas.
The department will also reinstate a program that opened the 1.56 million acre Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil and gas leasing.
“It’s time for the U.S. to embrace Alaska’s abundant and largely untapped resources as a pathway to prosperity for the nation, including Alaskans,” Mr. Burgum said in a statement. “For far too long, the federal government has created too many barriers to capitalizing on the state’s energy potential. Interior is committed to recognizing the central role the State of Alaska plays in meeting our nation’s energy needs, while providing tremendous economic opportunity for Alaskans.”
Mr. Trump campaigned on a promise to “drill, baby, drill” and said he’d reverse the heavy restrictions on Alaska’s oil and gas production put in place under President Biden.
Mr. Biden had reduced oil and gas drilling to less than half of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska’s Western Arctic, down from 82% during Mr. Trump’s first term.
A year ago, the Biden administration announced it would restrict new oil and gas leasing on 13 million acres of Alaska’s federally controlled petroleum reserve to help protect wildlife. In January, Mr. Biden banned oil and gas leasing in the entire Northern Bering Sea and created new hurdles for oil and gas drilling for 1.3 million acres in the North Slope of Alaska.
Republicans have long sought to expand oil and gas drilling in Alaska.
Rep. Nick Begich, a Republican and Alaska’s sole House lawmaker, praised Mr. Burgum’s announcement and said he’ll work with Congress to pass laws that would prevent future administrations from shutting down oil and gas leasing again.
“Today marks a new day for Alaska and American energy security,” Mr. Begich said.
Alaska’s Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy said Mr. Burgum’s announcement “will provide more investment opportunities, more jobs, and a better future for Alaskans.”
In addition to expanding oil and gas leasing, Mr. Burgum announced he will greenlight permits for the construction of a liquid natural gas pipeline in the state, as well a mining road north of the Yukon River that had been blocked by the Biden administration.
The two projects, Mr. Burgum said, “stand to increase job opportunities and encourage Alaska’s economic growth.”
Environmental groups quickly condemned the move and hinted they’ll sue to block it.
The Alaska Wilderness League called the plans “a billionaire land grab at Alaska’s expense.” The Sierra Club said oil and gas drilling in the pristine Western Arctic will threaten polar bears, caribou and migratory birds.
“The orders are a clear escalation in Donald Trump’s ongoing efforts to transfer the benefits of public lands from the American people to corporate polluters,” said Sierra Club spokesman Ian Brickey. “We will do everything in our power to stop the giveaway and preserve our wild and special places for the next generation.”
Mr. Burgum’s announcement follows Mr. Trump’s Day 1 executive order calling on the government to expand oil and gas drilling in the Arctic.
