The U.S. Interior Department’s recent decision to roll back a 2024 rule restricting oil and gas development in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A) has been met with applause from Alaska’s congressional delegation, who view it as a significant win for the state’s economic prospects and national energy production.
Senator Lisa Murkowski expressed gratitude to Secretary Doug Burgum for listening to the concerns of Alaskans, emphasizing the legal foundation intended for the petroleum reserve.
Murkowski stated, “This is a victory not only for those who support responsible development, but also those who believe in the rule of law.”
The Interior Department announced the decision on June 2, following what it characterized as a comprehensive legal and policy review.
Department officials indicated that the previous rule, which had been finalized a year earlier, imposed legal and procedural barriers that contradicted the legislative intent set forth by Congress regarding development in the NPR-A.
Secretary Burgum reaffirmed that the 2024 rule would be rescinded, reverting to earlier regulations that have guided development within the NPR-A for many years.
He noted, “The 2024 rule ignored that mandate, prioritizing obstruction over production and undermining our ability to harness domestic resources at a time when American energy independence has never been more critical. We’re restoring the balance and putting our energy future back on track.”
Encompassing approximately 23 million acres of federal land in Alaska’s Arctic North Slope, the NPR-A was designated by Congress in the 1970s for the purpose of oil and gas development.
The intention was to maintain a balance between energy production and protection of surface resources.
Under the 2024 Biden rule, strict regulatory measures had been put in place for drilling activities, which included a presumption against new oil and gas efforts across nearly 13 million acres of “Special Areas.”
These areas are recognized for their wildlife and subsistence value, leading developers to prove that their activities would result in minimal impact before moving forward.
Interior officials have now posited that those provisions lacked a solid foundation under the Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act, the legislative framework governing the reserve.
Furthermore, they argued that the 2024 rule contradicted the department’s responsibility to uphold a competitive leasing program.
This proposed rollback also aligns with recent executive orders from former President Trump, which stressed the necessity of increasing domestic energy production.
One such order issued in January specifically called for federal agencies to “unleash” Alaska’s resource potential and eliminate barriers to development on public lands.
Senator Dan Sullivan shared that Burgum announced the rollback during a town hall meeting in Utqiagvik, an Arctic town in the North Slope, just before the official declaration.
The announcement was enthusiastically received by Alaskans from the North Slope, who have a deep understanding of how to balance responsible oil production with their cherished subsistence lifestyle, according to Sullivan.
He further noted that responsible development has been vital to supporting infrastructure and essential services in remote Arctic communities.
The Bureau of Land Management will revert to the regulations that existed before May 2024, which include environmental safeguards through a planning framework known as the Integrated Activity Plan.
A 60-day public comment period will commence once the proposed rule is published in the Federal Register.
image source from：https://www.rcinet.ca/eye-on-the-arctic/2025/06/03/u-s-interior-to-scrap-arctic-oil-rule-following-alaska-outcry/
