U.S. Department Of The Interior Will Further Limit Energy Production In Alaska
The Biden administration has taken additional steps recently to reduce oil and gas production. Specifically, the U.S. Department of the Interior announced last week that it will restrict new oil and gas leasing in nearly 11 million acres of Alaska’s North Slope.
The Trump administration had made changes that would have allowed expanded oil production in the area. The Interior Department will leave in place more protective lease stipulations and operating procedures for threatened and endangered species that the Trump administration had created, however.
As a reminder, the Biden administration already had suspended oil leasing in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge despite the fact that Congress acted in 2017 to allow production in that area.
The new North Slope policy was outlined in a notice filed in federal court in Alaska. The Wall Street Journal has more information. Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy opposed the decision. In a statement he said it would put “the nation in a situation where we have to rely on foreign oil countries at a time for growing prices and concern for American consumers.” He also said it would reduce employment opportunities for Alaska Native people.