Breaking: Trump Administration unleashes Alaska energy potential, boosting jobs and US dominance

Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum on Thursday announced immediate steps to unlock Alaska’s vast untapped natural resources. His actions support President Donald Trump’s vision of American energy dominance and aim to revitalize energy exploration and infrastructure in the state.

The Bureau of Land Management will take immediate steps to expand oil and gas development in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska and the 1002 Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Also, the BLM will work toward partially revoking public land withdrawals by the Biden Administration to advance critical infrastructure projects such as the Ambler Road and the Alaska Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Pipeline.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy issued an immediate response to the announcement, which came just before Sen. Dan Sullivan’s address to the Alaska Legislature:

“The announcement today from the Department of Interior is more great news for Alaska. I want to thank President Trump and Interior Secretary Burgum for their commitment to work on behalf of Alaska to ensure that our great state and its resources can continue to be a solution for many of America’s challenges. The news today will provide more investment opportunities, more jobs, and a better future for Alaskans. We look forward to our continued work with President Trump and his administration to move Alaska and our country forward,” Dunleavy said.

The actions outlined by Secretary Burgum are part of the implementation of Executive Order 14153 and Secretary’s Order 3422, both titled “Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential.” Key elements of the plan include:

• Reopening up to 82% of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A) for leasing, expanding opportunities in the 23-million-acre reserve while ensuring environmental protections.
• Reinstating a leasing program for the entire 1.56-million-acre Coastal Plain of ANWR, fulfilling the intent of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and strengthening U.S. energy security.
• Revoking land withdrawals along the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Corridor and Dalton Highway north of the Yukon River, allowing these lands to be conveyed to the State of Alaska. This move facilitates the development of the Ambler Road and Alaska LNG Pipeline projects, which could create significant job opportunities and spur economic growth in the region.

“It’s time for the U.S. to embrace Alaska’s abundant and largely untapped resources as a pathway to prosperity for the nation, including Alaskans,” Burgum said. “For far too long, the federal government has created too many barriers to capitalizing on the state’s energy potential. Interior is committed to recognizing the central role the State of Alaska plays in meeting our nation’s energy needs while providing tremendous economic opportunity for Alaskans.”

President Trump has long championed the development of Alaska’s vast energy resources as a means of securing national economic stability. As one of his first act upon becoming president this year, he reaffirmed his commitment to unlocking Alaska’s resource potential for the benefit of both Alaskans and the broader U.S. economy.

“Today marks a new day for Alaska and American energy security. Thank you, President @realDonaldTrump and @SecretaryBurgum for taking critical steps to unlock Alaska. My office has engaged with the Administration early on to make these projects a priority, and I will continue to lead efforts in Congress to codify these actions – ensuring that future Administrations cannot stand in the way of Alaska’s energy future and prosperity. President Trump understands that Alaska is the KEY to restoring American energy dominance, and I stand ready to work with his Administration to continue fighting for Alaska,” wrote Congressman Nick Begich.