Move hailed by environmentalists and Alaska Indigenous group, but criticized by local Republican leaders
The Biden administration announced on Wednesday its decision to cancel oil and gas leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), a move that reversed a significant part of the Trump administration’s energy policies. These leases, bought by the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) during the final days of President Trump’s tenure, had been part of a controversial push to open up the pristine 19.6 million-acre refuge to oil drilling.
The cancellation was welcomed by environmentalists and an Indigenous group in Alaska, who have long opposed drilling in the refuge, citing the region’s critical importance for wildlife, including polar bears and caribou. They praised the decision as a victory for conservation and climate action, particularly as the Arctic is warming at a rate more than twice as fast as the global average.
However, the move has drawn criticism from local Republican leaders, particularly Senator Lisa Murkowski, who decried the cancellation as harmful to Alaska’s economic interests. Murkowski argued that the decision would prevent the state from accessing valuable energy resources and could limit job opportunities for local communities that depend on the oil and gas industry.
In addition to canceling the ANWR leases, the Interior Department also announced plans to protect 13 million acres in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska, prohibiting new leasing on over 40% of the reserve. This area, on the state’s North Slope, is the largest undisturbed public land in the U.S.
President Biden framed the actions as essential steps in addressing the climate crisis, emphasizing the responsibility to protect the Arctic’s delicate ecosystem. “We have a responsibility to protect this treasured region for all ages,” Biden said in a statement. His administration has been focused on reducing oil and gas activities on public lands as part of a broader climate agenda, despite the ongoing debate over balancing environmental concerns with energy needs.
The 2021 lease sale in ANWR had generated a meager $14 million in high bids, with most of the interest coming from AIDEA. Following the sale, the Biden administration suspended the leases for further environmental review. The review concluded that the previous analysis was flawed, giving Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland the authority to cancel the leases.
The cancellation comes as Biden faces pressure on multiple fronts regarding energy policy, with some advocating for more domestic drilling to ensure fuel supply stability and lower gas prices, especially in light of the upcoming 2024 presidential election.
