Locking in the oil and gas leases could make it more difficult for Biden’s administration to reverse course.
Arctic
Arctic seals were listed as threatened in 2012. Now their sea ice habitat will be protected, too.
The Bering, Chukchi and Beaufort seas are home to a variety of marine mammals, including bearded seals and ringed seals. Though both species are in relative abundance, long-term projections forecast a threat to the once abundant sea ice that the seals live on. As a result, the species were listed as threatened in 2012 under the Endangered Species Act.
Drilling boosters, opponents consider next steps after first Arctic refuge lease sale
The state won 10-year oil leases for nine pieces of land by submitting the minimum offer: $25 an acre. But drilling for oil in the refuge is expensive, and it faces an aggressive opposition campaign.
Nation’s sole heavy icebreaker arrives in Unalaska, prepares to patrol Arctic waters
The nation’s sole heavy icebreaker arrived in the Aleutian Islands this week for the first time since 2013.
Arctic Refuge lease sale goes bust, with no bids from major oil companies
One of the Trump administration’s biggest energy initiatives suffered a stunning setback Wednesday, as a decades-long push to drill for oil in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge ended with a lease sale that attracted just three bidders — one of which was the state of Alaska itself.
Federal judge denies requests to block Arctic refuge oil leasing
It’s a win for the Trump administration, which has pushed to lock in drilling in the refuge in its final weeks, before President-elect Joe Biden takes office and can try to stop it.
Here’s what you need to know about the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge’s first-ever oil lease sale
The sale, scheduled for Wednesday, would be a controversial milestone in a 40-year battle over whether to drill for oil in a part of the refuge called the coastal plain. So, how did we get here after such a long debate? And, what will happen next?
Federal judge could rule as soon as Tuesday on request to halt oil leasing in Arctic refuge
A federal judge in Anchorage says she could rule as soon as Tuesday on a request by environmental groups to block the Trump administration from carrying out the first-ever lease sale in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Trump administration finalizes plan to expand oil drilling opportunities by millions of acres in Arctic Alaska reserve
The reserve, the largest area of federally managed land in the U.S., is located west of the Prudhoe Bay oil fields in an area containing large new oil discoveries, including ConocoPhillips’ Willow prospect.
Federal judge will weigh request to block oil leasing in Arctic refuge
With the first-ever oil lease sale in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge just two days away, a federal judge in Anchorage will consider a request Monday to stop the Trump administration from issuing the oil leases.