Staff Reports
The Biden administration made an announcement on Friday regarding new oil and gas leasing in Alaska. They are going to restrict new leasing on 13 million acres of a federal petroleum reserve to help protect wildlife like caribou and polar bears as the Arctic continues to get warmer. This decision has been a part of a long fight over whether and how to develop the vast oil resources in the state. The approval of the big Willow oil project made environmentalists very upset, and they said that it went against Biden’s promise to fight climate change. This newest decision also confirms an earlier plan to close nearly half of the reserve to oil and gas leasing.
Biden administration restricts oil and gas leasing in 13 million acres of Alaska’s petroleum reserve https://t.co/sQOyb2lPeR
— The Boston Globe (@BostonGlobe) April 19, 2024
A group of Republican lawmakers, led by Alaska U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, were not happy with the announcement. Sullivan called it an “illegal” attack on the state’s economy and thinks there will be lawsuits because of it. Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski added that this decision will make it harder for Alaska to have enough energy.
The Biden administration also recommended rejecting a state corporation’s application related to a proposed 210-mile road in the northwest part of the state to allow mining of critical mineral deposits. There are no mining proposals or current mines in the area, and the funding model for the project is uncertain.
Alaska political leaders have accused the Biden administration of harming the state with decisions limiting the development of oil and gas, minerals, and timber. They believe it is making the United States less secure. President Biden defended the decision, saying that Alaska’s lands and waters are special and important to protect. However, some Alaska Native leaders have been critical of the administration’s approach.
The petroleum reserve is home to caribou and polar bears and provides habitat for millions of migrating birds. The rules announced on Friday place restrictions on future leasing and development in areas that are important for wildlife and other values because of the changes happening in the Arctic due to climate change. Environmentalists were happy with the decision, saying that it will help keep the area wild and protect the climate.
