All articles tagged with #arctic national wildlife refuge
The Trump administration finalized plans to open Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas drilling, sparking controversy among indigenous communities and environmentalists, with some supporting economic development and others opposing due to environmental and cultural concerns.
Following Donald Trump's election victory, the Biden administration moved to limit oil drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge by planning a 400,000-acre lease sale, the smallest legally possible. This decision aims to protect Biden's environmental achievements, despite mixed reactions. While environmental groups praised the move, some Alaska Native communities expressed concerns over economic impacts.
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.