Biden Administration Cancels Oil and Gas Leases in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Protects 13 Million Acres in Nearby National Petroleum Reserve

The Biden administration has taken a major step in protecting the environment by canceling all remaining oil and gas leases in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and protecting an additional 13 million acres in the nearby National Petroleum Reserve from drilling and other development.

The leases were issued by the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) a day before President Joe Biden’s inauguration. Biden had previously pledged to protect the 19.6 million-acre habitat for polar bears and caribou.

The Interior Department announced Wednesday that it would cancel the leases, which were bought by the Alaska state development agency in the final days of former President Donald Trump’s administration. This move is in line with Biden’s campaign promise to “reverse the Trump administration’s assaults” on the environment.

The decision comes as the Biden administration faces mounting pressure to take more aggressive action to reduce fossil fuel development on federal lands. This is in response to the increasing global warming that is causing extreme weather disasters around the world.

The Interior Department said that the 13 million acres in the National Petroleum Reserve will be protected from drilling and other development. This will help to ensure that the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and its 19.6 million acres of habitat remain safe and protected.