White House approves increased oil and gas drilling in Alaska's national wildlife refuge

"The interior department also announced an oil and gas lease sale with the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska this winter, which is set to mark the first sale in the 23m-acre reserve since 2019. Thursday's announcement comes as part of the Trump administration's reversal of Joe Biden's decision in 2024 to expand federal protections across the reserve."

"In addition, the department reissued necessary permits to establish the Ambler Road Project, a controversial proposal for a 211-mile gravel road, part of which will be built through south-western Alaska's Izembek national wildlife refuge. Once built, the road would endanger more than 200,000 migratory birds that cross through the refuge annually, among other wildlife, according to the National Wildlife Refuge Association. The project would also threaten multiple Indigenous tribes that rely on the area for hunting and fishing."

"Hailing the moves on Thursday, the US interior secretary, Doug Burgum, said: From day one, President Trump directed us to unlock Alaska's energy and resource potential while honoring commitments to the state and local communities. By reopening the coastal plain and advancing key infrastructure, we are strengthening energy independence, creating jobs and supporting Alaska's communities while driving econom"

The Trump administration approved oil and gas drilling across 1.56 million acres of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge coastal plain, habitat for polar bears, caribou, moose, whales and seals. The interior department announced an oil and gas lease sale in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska this winter, the first in the 23-million-acre reserve since 2019, reversing expanded federal protections enacted in 2024. The department reissued permits for the Ambler Road Project, a 211-mile gravel road that would cross Izembek National Wildlife Refuge and threaten over 200,000 migratory birds. Multiple Indigenous tribes and interior villages oppose the road, while proponents cite access to a $7bn copper deposit, other minerals, job creation and strengthened energy independence.

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