Trump Administration Rescinds Rules Protecting Alaska’s Petroleum Reserve
The Trump administration announced on Thursday that it is repealing federal rules aimed at protecting the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska from future oil and gas leasing. The rules, which were put in place last year, restricted leasing and industrial development in areas designated as special for wildlife, subsistence, or other values.
The U.S. Interior Department stated that the final rule would be published next week, effectively rescinding the Biden-era rules that had called for regular evaluations of whether to designate new special areas or boost protections in those areas. The Biden administration had cited rapidly changing conditions in the Arctic, such as melting permafrost and changes in plant life and wildlife corridors, due to climate change.
Background and Debate
The National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, which is roughly the size of Indiana, was set aside over a century ago as an emergency oil supply for the U.S. Navy. The reserve has been overseen by the Interior Department since the 1970s. There has been longstanding debate over where oil and gas should be developed within the reserve, with supporters citing the reserve’s name to underscore their point that it’s a place for drilling, while opponents argue that federal law requires a balancing act for managing the reserve that includes environmental considerations and protections.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum had previously stated that the Biden-era rules were at odds with the leasing program mandate for the petroleum reserve and prioritized “obstruction over production.” The Trump administration’s decision to rescind the rules is in line with an Alaska-specific executive order signed by President Donald Trump, which aimed to unravel policies put in place by his predecessor, Democrat Joe Biden.
Reactions and Implications
The decision has been met with criticism from environmentalists, who argue that it is short-sighted and reckless. Erik Grafe, an attorney with Earthjustice, stated that the decision is “another example of how the Trump administration is trying to take us back in time with its reckless fossil fuels agenda.” On the other hand, Voice of the Arctic Iñupiat, an advocacy group that includes leaders from Alaska’s petroleum-rich North Slope, has lauded the announcement, seeing responsible development as important for the economic wellbeing of communities in the region.
Josiah Patkotak, North Slope Borough mayor, called repealing the rules “a meaningful step toward restoring a federal process that respects local knowledge and leadership.” The most recent lease sale for the reserve was in 2019, and a law passed earlier this year by Congress calls for at least five sales within the reserve over a 10-year period.
FILE – In this undated photo provided by the United States Geological Survey, permafrost forms a grid-like pattern in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, managed by the Bureau of Land Management on Alaska’s North Slope. (David W. Houseknecht/United States Geological Survey via AP, File)
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