Trump Administration Revokes Biden Ban on Drilling and Mining in Alaska Wilderness

The Trump administration announced Thursday that oil and gas drilling would be allowed in a fragile expanse of tundra and wetlands in northern Alaska that is home to caribou, grizzly bears and thousands of migratory birds.

The move reverses actions taken during the Biden administration to restrict development in half of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, 23 million acres of federal land in the North Slope. Despite having “petroleum” in its name, the expanse is some of the last remaining pristine wilderness in the country and contains some of the most important wildlife habitat in the Arctic.

The administration said in June that it planned to open the reserve to drilling and mining; Thursday’s announcement was the final step. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said it would “unlock Alaska’s energy potential, create jobs for North Slope communities and strengthen American energy security.”

It was the latest in a series of the Trump administration’s aggressive efforts to expand fossil fuel production in the United States. Last month, the government finalized plans to open the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska to oil and gas drilling. In the coming days, the Interior Department is also expected to propose opening vast new stretches of federal waters to oil and gas development, including areas off the coast of California.

Oil industry advocates and Alaska lawmakers celebrated Thursday’s announcement, which returns the reserve to regulations originally established in 1977. While the action does not entirely eliminate protections for certain areas, it makes it significantly easier to permit drilling and mining.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy, a Republican, called it “yet another step in the right direction for Alaska and American energy dominance.” Senator Dan Sullivan, Republican of Alaska, called it “a new day filled with opportunity for Alaskans.”