The Trump administration wants to open up more than 80 percent of a publicly owned area of the Western Arctic for oil and gas drilling.
The Interior Department said late Tuesday afternoon that it is releasing a draft plan in support of opening up 82 percent of the area, known as the National Petroleum Reserve — Alaska for oil and gas production.
This 23-million acre area was set aside by former President Warren G. Harding as an emergency supply of oil for the Navy. It contains areas that have significance to tribes and that are home to animals including grizzly bears, polar bears, caribou — making drilling there controversial.
“This plan is about creating more jobs for Americans, reducing our dependence on foreign oil and tapping into the immense energy resources the National Petroleum Reserve was created to deliver,” said acting assistant secretary for Land and Minerals Management Adam Suess in a written statement.
“Under President Trump’s leadership, we’re cutting red tape and restoring commonsense policies that ensure responsible development and good stewardship of our public lands.”
How much drilling to allow in the area is a question that has ping ponged between Democratic and Republican administrations. The last Trump administration also wanted to open up 82 percent of the area for drilling while the Biden administration sought to protect large swaths of it.
The latest move comes on top of a previous Trump administration move to restore oil and gas drilling on 13 million acres of the petroleum reserve that had been blocked by Biden.
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