Alaska Delegation Welcomes Interior Process to Rescind Unlawful NPR-A Rule
Anchorage, Alaska—U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan and Representative Nick Begich (all R-Alaska) today welcomed an announcement from the Department of the Interior (DOI) that it will initiate a public process to rescind an unlawful 2024 rule that restricts responsible oil and gas development in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A).
DOI made the announcement after officials conducted “a thorough legal and policy review” that determined the 2024 rule “exceeds [the Bureau of Land Management’s] statutory authority under the Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act of 1976, conflicts with the Act’s purpose, and imposes unnecessary barriers to responsible energy development in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska.”
“I thank Secretary Burgum for listening to Alaskans and recognizing the explicit legal purpose of our petroleum reserve. This is a victory not only for those who support responsible development, but also those who believe in the rule of law,” Senator Murkowski said. “The 2024 management rule clearly violated the law, establishing restrictions and a presumption against development as part of the last administration’s effort to turn the North Slope into one giant tract of federal wilderness. Repealing the rule will not weaken our world-class environmental standards, but it will enable Alaska to produce more energy as Congress intended. The result will be good jobs for Alaskans, more affordable energy for America, and significant new revenues for government.”
“Last night at a town hall in Utqiagvik, Secretary Burgum announced that the Interior Department will rescind the Biden administration’s illegal rule that tried to turn vast swaths of NPR-A into de facto ‘wilderness,’” said Senator Sullivan. “The announcement was roundly met with cheers from Alaskans of the North Slope, who understand better than anyone the proper balance between responsible oil production and the subsistence way of life they cherish. Responsible resource development has transformed the lives of the Iñupiat people, supporting the construction of clinics, gymnasiums, water infrastructure—basic amenities most Americans take for granted. Thank you, Secretary Burgum, for respecting the voices of Alaskans, for standing up for the self-determination of the Iñupiat people, and for sharing this important announcement among the people who will most benefit from it.”
“This decision is a major victory for Alaska and for every American who believes in energy independence and the rule of law,” said Congressman Begich. “The 2024 restrictions in the NPR-A were imposed with no serious consideration provided to those who work and live in the region and in clear violation of the law – hindering Alaska’s right to responsibly develop our resources. I will continue to work closely with the Trump Administration to ensure Alaska has the opportunity for responsible resource development across the North Slope. There is no question that the road to American prosperity begins in Alaska with our abundance of critical resources, and I am grateful to President Trump and Secretary Burgum for their leadership in restoring our right to shape Alaska’s energy future by rolling back this restrictive Biden-era policy in the NPR-A.”
“Congress was clear: the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska was set aside to support America’s energy security through responsible development,” Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum said. “The 2024 rule ignored that mandate, prioritizing obstruction over production and undermining our ability to harness domestic resources at a time when American energy independence has never been more critical. We're restoring the balance and putting our energy future back on track.”
The NPR-A spans roughly 23 million acres in northwest Alaska. Congress specifically set the area aside for responsible oil and gas development, directing DOI, through the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), to conduct an “expeditious program of competitive leasing of oil and gas.” Instead of following that directive, the Biden administration refused to hold a single lease sale in the petroleum reserve while repeatedly moving to reduce access, delaying project approvals, and layering on new restrictions to prevent future development.
Alaska’s congressional delegation has opposed the NPR-A management rule on a bipartisan basis from the start. The delegation sent a letter to Interior opposing the proposed rule in March 2024 and spent months making a public case against it. Interior ignored the delegation—and refused to engage in proper consultation with North Slope leaders who similarly opposed the rule—instead plowing forward on a rushed timeline that one former official openly admitted was to avoid the Congressional Review Act. As Interior finalized the rule, multiple companies asked BLM to suspend more than one million acres of leases they held within the NPR-A.
According to DOI, “Under the proposed rule rescission, the BLM would revert to the regulations that were in place prior to May 7, 2024, which have long guided responsible development in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska while incorporating protections for wildlife, subsistence and surface values through the Integrated Activity Plan process.” A 60-day public comment period will begin when the proposal prints in the Federal Register.
More information is available here.
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