The Trump administration overturned a Biden-era ban on oil and gas development on the state’s North Slope.
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will open more public land for oil and gas drilling in Alaska, the agency announced on Dec. 22.
BLM updated an activity plan for the National Petroleum Reserve on Alaska’s North Slope that reopens an area nearly the size of South Carolina to oil and gas leasing, overturning Biden-era restrictions.
The decision restores the National Petroleum Reserve’s purpose as a strategic domestic energy supply, according to BLM.
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy said the decision to open the land for development was a “major step forward for our state and for America’s energy future.”
“By reopening nearly 82 percent of the 23-million-acre reserve to responsible oil and gas leasing, this decision restores balance, strengthens our energy security, and creates opportunities for good-paying jobs while maintaining strong environmental standards. Alaska stands ready to help power the nation,” Dunleavy said in a post on X.
The reserve spans millions of acres of treeless plains, meandering rivers, and lush wetlands that are home to caribou, migratory birds, polar bears, wolves, and native communities.
The Trump administration’s plan opens the reserve from 11.8 million acres to more than 18.5 million acres.
“This updated plan is a major step forward in restoring the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska to the purpose Congress intended,” acting BLM Director Bill Groffy said in a statement.
“By opening more of the reserve to responsible development, we are helping meet national energy needs while continuing the legacy begun in the 2020 plan for thorough environmental review and strong engagement with Alaska communities.”
The Trump administration finalized a rule on Nov. 13 rescinding Biden-era restrictions on oil and gas drilling on the North Slope.
Former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland canceled seven oil and gas leases issued in the Alaska National Petroleum Reserve in 2023 as part of her climate action agenda.
By reopening the reserve, the agency is following the direction set by President Trump to unlock Alaska’s energy potential, create jobs for surrounding communities, and strengthen American energy security, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said.
Monday’s decision comes weeks after the Trump administration announced it had also approved new oil drilling leases off the coasts of California, Florida, and Alaska.
