Interior Dept. to Sell Leases in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
The Interior Department will hold a sale of oil leases in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge this June, the first to occur under the NAM-backed H.R. 1, which required four such sales by 2035 (POLITICO Pro, subscription).
The details: The sales will be for land in a 1.5 million acre section of the refuge. As stated in the Federal Register notice, the Bureau of Land Management “must receive all sealed bids by 4 p.m. Alaska time on June 3 and the lease sale will take place on June 5.”
- A previous sale in Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve “drew in more than $163 million in winning bids.”
The administration says: “After three Acts of Congress and several successful lawsuits making it abundantly clear that oil and gas leasing in this area of Alaska is lawful, it is a great honor to once again announce another Coastal Plain lease sale,” Interior Department Deputy Secretary Kate MacGregor said in a statement.
The NAM says: “The NAM has long called for these lands in Alaska to be opened to energy exploration and development, and this move is a win for both the state and the U.S. as a whole,” said NAM Senior Director of Energy and Resources Policy Michael Davin in February when the Interior Department opened up this land for development.
- “Manufacturers know that we can be both responsible stewards of the environment—committed to human and animal health—while developing our available domestic resources. That’s critical to achieving U.S. energy dominance and boosting economic growth.”