Washington: The Biden administration is soliciting feedback on potentially expanding protections from oil and gas drilling in Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve, as announced by the Interior Department’s Bureau of Land Management on Friday.
The BLM will accept public comments on whether to revise protected areas in the Western Arctic, including the creation of new protected zones and adjustments to existing boundaries within the NPR-A.
“With the rapidly changing climate, the Special Areas are increasingly critical to caribou movement and herd health, as well as other wildlife, migratory birds, and native plants,” said BLM Director Tracy Stone-Manning. “We want to hear from the public to ensure we are managing the western Arctic’s significant resource values in the right ways and right places.”
Earlier this month, Alaska filed a lawsuit challenging new federal regulations implemented in April for oil and gas leasing in the NPR-A. These regulations restricted development on 40% of the NPR-A to safeguard wildlife habitats and the traditional lifestyles of indigenous communities, while allowing existing oil and gas operations to continue unaffected.
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Covering 23 million acres (9.3 million hectares), the NPR-A represents the largest expanse of undisturbed public land in the United States.
The public comment period, spanning a substantial 60 days, provides ample opportunity for stakeholders and the public to contribute their perspectives and insights.
