Today, U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced a series of actions which will help end the previous administration’s sanctions on Alaskan energy production and restore American energy dominance. House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) issued the following statement in response:

"Today is a momentous day for Alaska and the United States. The Trump administration is overturning the disastrous policies of the Biden era and working to unleash American energy once again. These actions will lower energy costs for American families, ensure the state of Alaska and Alaska Native communities are able to thrive and restore common sense to our resource management."

Background

Domestic production of oil and natural gas on federal lands is key to the economies and livelihoods of local communities across the country. Under the Biden administration, however, the federal government stifled future energy production by cutting off access, suspending quarterly lease sales required by law, slowing the approval of drilling permits, locking up federal lands and waters to development and increasing costs on producers. President Biden’s anti-energy policies were especially harmful to the state of Alaska, where the administration made more than 70 attempts to curtail energy development. 

On Jan. 20, 2025 Trump issued Executive Order 14153 “Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Energy Potential,” which directed federal agencies to exercise all lawful authority and discretion to further resource development in Alaska. Today, Burgum announced a series of actions aimed at overturning and undoing the harmful policies of the Biden administration while also accelerating responsible energy development in Alaska. These actions include rescinding Biden-era regulations for the National Petroleum Reserve Alaska, reinstating legally mandated leases in the 1002 area of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and cancelling withdrawals across the state.