The Biden Administration has made a pivotal move by nullifying seven oil and gas leases. ANWR, celebrated for its expansive and untarnished wildlife environment, houses significant oil reserves, estimated to be in the vicinity of ten billion barrels.
(Photo : US Fish and Wildlife Service/Getty Images)
ARCTIC NATIONAL REFUGE, ALASKA - UNDATED: (FILE PHOTO) This undated photo shows the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. The U.S. Senate voted not to allow drilling for oil in the refuge March 19, 2003 by a 52-to-48 vote.
Revoking Oil, Gas Leases with ANWR
The Biden Administration, led by Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, has taken a significant step by revoking seven oil and gas leases within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in Alaska.
Simultaneously, Electrek reported that they have designated 13 million acres within the National Petroleum Reserve for conservation. ANWR, renowned for its vast and unspoiled wildlife habitat, also holds substantial oil reserves, estimated at around ten billion barrels.
As a result, there has been a longstanding struggle involving Republicans and oil corporations, who have sought to extract oil from this region, despite its ecological importance and its significance to indigenous communities.
As per Reuters, the latest development involves the permanent nullification of these previously halted leases, and the basis for this action is the inadequate scrutiny they underwent as per the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act.
It's important to emphasize that two of the three leaseholders had already initiated the procedure to request the cancellation and reimbursement of their leases, leaving the state of Alaska as the sole remaining leaseholder that hadn't pursued similar measures.
For years, political figures in Alaska have been advocating for permitting oil and gas exploration on the 1.5 million-acre coastal plain of the refuge.
This region holds immense cultural significance to the Indigenous Gwich'in community as it serves as the migration and birthing ground for the caribou, upon which they depend.
In 2017, Alaska's congressional delegation achieved the inclusion of specific language in a federal tax law, mandating the U.S. government to conduct two lease sales in this area by the end of 2024.
Biden's Efforts
This development follows several months after President Biden's approval of the "Willow project," a substantial oil endeavor situated within the NPRA.
This decision faced opposition from individuals and groups advocating for a sustainable planet, rather than one threatened by the relentless pursuit of oil industry profits. It's essential to note that today's action does not revoke the approval for the Willow project, which will proceed as originally planned.
Upon assuming office, The Guardian reported that President Joe Biden issued an executive order that imposed a temporary pause on any activities linked to the leasing program. This order also tasked the interior secretary, Deb Haaland, with conducting a comprehensive review of the program.
Later in 2021, Secretary Haaland initiated a fresh environmental assessment after determining that the Trump-era leasing program suffered from "several legal shortcomings." During this period of evaluation, activities associated with the leasing program were suspended.
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