Biden administration cancels oil, gas leases in Alaska wildlife refuge

The Biden administration canceled the seven remaining oil and gas leases in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) on Wednesday, Sept. 6. In addition, the Department of the Interior also announced proposed rules aimed at providing stronger protections against new leasing and development in parts of Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve that are designated as special areas for their wildlife, subsistence, scenic or other values.

“Alaska is home to many of America’s most breathtaking natural wonders and culturally significant areas. As the climate crisis warms the Arctic more than twice as fast as the rest of the world, we have a responsibility to protect this treasured region for all ages,” President Joe Biden said in a statement. “Canceling all remaining oil and gas leases issued under the previous administration in the Arctic Refuge and protecting more than 13 million acres in the Western Arctic will help preserve our Arctic lands and wildlife, while honoring the culture, history, and enduring wisdom of Alaska Natives who have lived on these lands since time immemorial.”

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge’s coastal plain is seen as sacred by the Indigenous Gwich’in because it is where caribou they rely on migrate and come to give birth. Despite this, Alaska political leaders have long pushed to allow oil and gas drilling in the refuge, in part because of its economic impact on Indigenous communities.

“I am deeply frustrated by the reversal of these leases in ANWR,” Rep. Mary Peltola, D-Alaska, said in a statement. “This administration showed that it is capable of listening to Alaskans with the approval of the Willow Project, and it is some of those same Inupiat North Slope communities who are most impacted by this decision. I will continue to advocate for them and for Alaska’s ability to explore and develop our natural resources.”

The Willow Project was approved earlier in 2023. It could produce up to 180,000 barrels of oil per day in the North Slope.