U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan have criticized the Department of the Interior (DOI) for its recent Record of Decision (ROD) concerning oil and gas leasing in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). The decision, which was announced by the DOI, limits leasing and future development on the 1.57-million-acre Coastal Plain.
According to the senators, this decision contradicts the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. The act mandated an oil and gas program for ANWR’s Coastal Plain, also known as the “1002 Area.” Murkowski expressed her discontent by stating that for four years, “Interior has done everything it can think of to undermine responsible development on the Coastal Plain.”
Senator Sullivan accused the Biden administration of trying to undermine Congress’ intentions with a lease sale scheduled for January 9, 2025. He claimed that the sale is designed to fail due to significant restrictions on land available for leasing. “The Biden-Harris administration’s eleventh-hour lease sale in ANWR is yet another charade aimed at subverting the will of Congress,” Sullivan said.
In November 2024, BLM released a final SEIS for ANWR’s oil and gas program, selecting Alternative D2 as its preferred option. This alternative places severe limitations on leasing by making 74 percent of the Coastal Plain unavailable for development.
Critics have also pointed out deficiencies in BLM’s consultation process with local communities such as Kaktovik. A letter from Kaktovik leaders labeled BLM’s process as a “failure” in terms of consultation obligations.
Congress passed legislation in 2017 allowing limited development within ANWR’s Coastal Plain. However, Senators Murkowski and Sullivan argue that current actions by the Biden administration do not align with congressional intent.
The debate over ANWR comes amid contrasting U.S. policies toward international oil production. The Biden administration has eased restrictions on countries like Iran and Venezuela while pausing certain domestic developments.
