The Trump Administration is working to undo the strict oil and gas drilling limits in Alaska set by the Biden administration, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced.
In 2021, the Biden administration paused oil leases in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge shortly after President Biden took office. Biden also finalized rules to protect federal lands, restricting drilling and mining on over 13 million acres of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A).
Now, the Trump Administration aims to reopen these areas. This effort follows President Trump’s early executive order to “unleash Alaska’s extraordinary resource potential.”
In March, Secretary Burgum took steps to expand exploration and development in both the NPR-A and the Arctic Refuge’s Coastal Plain. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) plans to partially lift land withdrawals to support projects like the Ambler Road and Alaska LNG pipeline.
At a recent meeting with industry leaders and Alaska officials, Burgum said, “We’re unlocking Alaska’s energy, putting American workers first, and empowering our nation with innovation — not regulation.”
He added that Alaska’s energy resources could help reduce reliance on adversaries by selling energy to U.S. allies.
This week, U.S. energy officials will meet in Alaska with representatives from South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan to promote the $44-billion Alaska LNG project, seeking investment from Asian partners.