Biden Administration to Cancel Controversial Alaska Wildlife Drilling Leases

The US Interior Department is set to announce the cancellation of oil and gas leases in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) that were issued to the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) in the final days of the Trump administration. President Biden had pledged to protect the habitat for polar bears and caribou. This move is part of Biden's broader agenda to combat climate change and rein in oil and gas activities on public lands. The ANWR lease sale in 2021 generated minimal interest from the industry, and the leases were later suspended pending an environmental review. Environmental groups have praised the cancellation of the unlawfully issued leases, while Alaskan officials and the oil and gas industry have expressed frustration.