Trump Administration Reopens 13 Million Acres for Alaska Drilling

The Trump administration finalized a rule on November 13, 2025, rescinding Biden-era limitations on oil and gas development within the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A). This action eliminates the "special areas" designation for up to 13 million acres of the 23-million-acre reserve, reopening the land to leasing and industrial development. The move follows Executive Order 14153, issued by President Donald Trump on January 20, which directed the expansion of domestic energy production.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum stated the policy reversal returns the reserve to a regulatory framework aligned with 1977 regulations to strengthen American energy security and reduce reliance on foreign oil. This decision coincides with a separate Interior Department action to reopen the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to leasing. The shift benefits energy companies such as ConocoPhillips, which had previously sued the government over the 2024 restrictions.

Local leadership, including North Slope Borough Mayor Josiah Patkotak and the Voice of the Arctic Iñupiat, supported the rollback as a means of respecting local authority and maintaining regional tax revenues. However, environmental organizations including the Natural Resources Defense Council, Earthjustice, and The Wilderness Society condemned the action. These groups argued that removing protections for critical wildlife habitats and wilderness landscapes constitutes a giveaway to the oil and gas industry.