On July 12, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced it is seeking public input on a potential expansion of protected areas in Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve (NPR-A). This proposed measure would build on the Biden administration’s recent ban on new oil and gas drilling projects in the region.
The BLM is exploring whether to implement additional protection measures. This could involve identifying more significant resource values within existing Special Areas, expanding these areas, or creating new ones within the NPR-A. The aim is to update the regulatory framework, which has been in place since the Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act (NPRPA) of 1976, to better address current conditions in the NPR-A.
In April 2024, the Biden administration imposed restrictions on oil and gas drilling across 13 million acres of the 23-million-acre NPR-A, and blocked leasing on an additional 10.6 million acres. This decision has faced strong criticism from the oil and gas industry, which argues that it undermines efforts to leverage U.S. resources to enhance energy security amid geopolitical uncertainties.
The NPR-A is believed to contain nearly 9 billion barrels of recoverable resources. ConocoPhillips, which has operated nearly 2 million acres in Alaska, recently filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration over the drilling ban.
The BLM’s public commentary period for this proposal will be open for 60 days, during which stakeholders and the public are encouraged to provide their feedback on the potential expansion of protected areas.
