Interior Proposes Repealing Biden-Era Drilling Limits on 13 Million Acres in Alaska

The Department of the Interior on June 2 formally proposed rescinding a 2024 rule that imposed new limits on oil and gas activity across Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve, calling the Biden-era policy an overreach that hinders domestic energy production. The move would eliminate restrictions covering roughly 13 million acres and restore a previous regulatory framework that governed leasing before the rule took effect last year. “Congress was clear: the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska was set aside to support America’s energy security through responsible development,” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said in a statement. “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.”...