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Trump’s Executive Order Promotes Resource Development in Alaska Amidst Environmental Concerns

JUNEAU, Alaska — President Donald Trump’s recent executive order is drawing enthusiasm from state leaders who view fossil fuel development as vital for Alaska’s economic growth, while environmental advocates are expressing deep concerns about the implications for a warming climate.

The order, which was signed on the first day of Trump’s presidency, aligns with requests made by Alaska’s Republican Governor Mike Dunleavy shortly after his election. The directive aims to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas exploration, lift restrictions on drilling in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, and ease constraints on logging and road construction in protected rainforests vital for local wildlife.

This order signals a potential return to the oil and gas policies adopted during Trump’s first term fully.

Cooper Freeman, Alaska director for the Center for Biological Diversity, argues that the executive order does not eliminate the need for compliance with environmental regulations and anticipates legal pushback against Trump’s initiatives.

“We are prepared for a significant legal battle to preserve Alaska’s natural beauty and biodiversity,” asserted Freeman.

The order seeks to reverse a previous decision by the Biden administration that canceled several oil leases related to the inaugural lease sale in the coastal plain of the Arctic Refuge. Notably, major oil firms abstained from that sale, which occurred in early 2021, leading to state corporations acquiring the leases instead. Some small companies that won leases later relinquished them.

Trump’s directive instructs the Interior secretary to commence further leasing activities and expedite the issuance of necessary permits and easements for oil and gas development. Leaders from the Gwich’in community are strongly opposed to drilling in the coastal plain, emphasizing its critical role in sustaining their caribou herds. Conversely, leaders in the Iñupiaq community of Kaktovik, situated within the refuge, support drilling, feeling hopeful that their perspectives will be prioritized in Trump’s administration after feeling marginalized under former President Biden.

This development follows a recent lease sale that, required by federal law enacted in 2017, drew no bids despite mandates for completion by 2024. The state of Alaska has also sued the Interior Department, alleging that recent sale terms were excessively restrictive.

Alaska’s political leaders have enthusiastically embraced Trump’s order, titled “Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential.”

“A new dawn is upon Alaska,” declared Republican U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan.

In a statement on social media, Dunleavy expressed his support, stating, “President Trump has initiated significant changes on his first day in office! This reinforces the importance of elections.”

Alaska has a history of opposing perceived federal interference that restricts the state’s resource extraction capabilities. Throughout Biden’s tenure, state leaders raised concerns over what they deemed excessive limitations impacting oil, gas, and mineral development. Nevertheless, the approval of the Willow oil project in 2023 marked a significant victory for them, although environmental groups continue to challenge this decision in court.

Dunleavy has consistently articulated that tapping into Alaska’s substantial resources is crucial for the state’s future, advocating for initiatives like underground carbon storage and carbon offset programs to diversify state revenues while pursuing traditional oil, gas, coal, and timber industries.

Currently, Alaska is grappling with economic difficulties; oil production, once a cornerstone of its economy, has significantly declined, partly due to aging oil fields. Moreover, the state has experienced a trend where more residents are departing than arriving for over a decade.

Aaron Weiss from the conservation organization Center for Western Priorities criticized Trump’s order, labeling it an “everything, everywhere, all-at-once order” aimed at dismantling numerous Biden-era protections that were years in the making.

He added, “Implementing the entirety of the executive order will take at least one or two full terms, and even then, sound scientific evidence will be essential. It is widely acknowledged that Alaska’s ecosystem does not support unrestricted drilling, given the pressing climate challenges and the warming Arctic.”

Communities across the region are already facing the repercussions of climate change, including thinning sea ice, coastal erosion, and thawing permafrost that endangers basic infrastructure.

Erik Grafe from Earthjustice emphasized, “Expanding oil and gas operations in the Arctic is a highly detrimental decision. A shift towards a green economy is crucial to address the ongoing climate emergency.”

Source
abcnews.go.com