Interior Opens 1 Million Acres in Alaska to Energy Development
The Interior Department has opened about 2.1 million acres of land to oil, gas and mineral development, it announced Friday (POLITICO’s E&E News, subscription).
What’s going on: Interior Secretary Doug Burgum issued Public Land Order 7966, revoking Public Land Orders 5150 and 5180, which had restricted exploration and development of federal land “along a highway important to the oil and mining industries in Alaska.”
- The order, which will be published in the Federal Register this week, follows two 2025 executive orders by President Trump to unleash “Alaska’s extraordinary resource potential.”
- The previous administration’s “Bureau of Land Management was supposed to launch an analysis into lifting the restrictions but then abruptly changed course in 2024, sparking an angry response from Alaska’s elected leaders.”
Why it’s important: The move will give Alaska more authority over the acreage, which includes a section known as the Dalton Utility corridor, used by the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, as well as proposed energy projects such as the Alaska LNG pipeline and Ambler Road.
Our view: “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.
- “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.”