The Interior Department has taken two major steps that will reshape how the United States manages the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska and oil and gas activity in Alaska.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said the department will reopen more than 1.56 million acres of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge’s coastal plain to leasing, reinstate previously canceled leases and move forward with permits for the Ambler Road project. The actions follow President Donald Trump’s Jan. 20 executive order directing agencies to reverse restrictions adopted under the prior administration and expand energy development across Alaska.
The department also finalized a separate decision that rescinds the 2024 regulation for the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska. The move restores a management framework that existed for decades and allows for broader development, including a winter lease sale the agency has said it intends to hold.
Interior advanced additional Alaska priorities, including the long-sought corridor between King Cove and Cold Bay and new land allotments for Alaska Native Vietnam-era veterans. Officials said the measures are aimed at reducing regulatory barriers, improving local access and strengthening Alaska’s role in national energy production.
Together, the decisions mark a coordinated shift toward expanded energy development, land access and infrastructure across the state. Interior officials say the goal is to increase economic activity while bolstering national energy security.
Photo by Sara Loeffler from Pexels
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