Biden administration restricts oil and gas leasing in 13 million acres of Alaska’s petroleum reserve

By BECKY BOHRER and MATTHEW DALY
Associated Press

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — The Biden administration has finalized rules that would restrict new oil and gas leasing and development in portions of a federal petroleum reserve in Alaska that are considered particularly sensitive as the Arctic continues to warm. The decision finalizes protections for the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska first proposed last year as the Biden administration prepared to approve the controversial Willow oil project. The approval of Willow drew the fury of environmentalists, who said it flew in the face of President Joe Biden’s pledges to combat climate change. A group of Senate Republicans, including Alaska Sens. Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski, condemned Friday’s decision even before it was officially announced.