The Trump administration has approved increased oil and gas drilling across Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), sparking widespread criticism from environmental groups. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced the opening of 1.56 million acres of ANWR's coastal plains, home to polar bears, caribou, moose, whales, and seals.
The Interior Department also announced an oil and gas lease sale in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska this winter, the first since 2019. This reverses a 2024 Biden administration decision to expand federal protections there. Additionally, permits were reissued for the Ambler Road Project, a 211-mile gravel road cutting through Gates of the Arctic National Park.
Environmental groups warn the road would endanger over 200,000 migratory birds and threaten Indigenous tribes reliant on the area for hunting and fishing. At least 39 villages and 37 tribes oppose the road. Proponents, including Alaska's congressional representatives, argue it is needed to access a $7bn copper deposit and other minerals.
Burgum hailed the moves, stating they 'unlock Alaska's energy potential' and strengthen energy independence. However, groups like the Alaska Wilderness League condemned the decision, calling the refuge 'the crown jewel of our public lands system' and warning of irreversible damage to wildlife and sacred lands.
