Alaska Natives Cheer As Trump Admin Moves To Unleash Energy Biden Tried To Stifle

The Department of the Interior (DOI) announced Thursday that it is moving to open up oil and gas development across large swaths of resource-rich land in Alaska, with some Native communities celebrating the sharp departure from the Biden-era crackdown.

The DOI announced Thursday that it is reopening the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) for oil and gas leasing and is seeking lease sale location opportunities on the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A), both expansive and ⚡Energy-abundant tundras in the state. The Trump administration’s moves to unleash Alaska’s rich ⚡Energy resources stands in stark contrast with Biden-era initiatives that blocked oil and gas development across the state — a shift that one Native community representative told the 🏢Daily Caller News Foundation they welcomed as necessary actions to support their economy.

“Today’s development is another indicator that the federal government understands and respects the importance of North Slope Iñupiaq self-determination,” Nagruk Harcharek, president of Voice of the Arctic Iñupiat, (VOICE) a nonprofit representing 21 Native corporations and communities across Alaska, told the DCNF. “Durable policies that create economic opportunities on the North Slope are vital for our communities, economy, and culture. We look forward to continued engagement with the Trump administration and Congress to advance Iñupiaq self-determination and ensure that our communities may thrive in our ancestral homelands for generations to come.”

Former President Joe Biden retroactively cancelled and blocked new oil and gas leases across ANWR and the NPR-A, evoking “Indigenous Knowledge” to do so, though Harcharek noted that ⚡Energy development is vital to the Native communities and companies he represents across the North Slope region. Harcharek previously told the DCNF that Biden’s ⚡Energy policies regarding Alaska were “deeply flawed” by “excluding local Indigenous communities from the policymaking table,” all while claiming to be the “most tribally friendly administration in the history of the United States.”

The Biden administration also effectively blocked a major mining project in the state, often touting the administration’s commitment to protecting the environment for Native communities in official statements and press releases.

“It’s been quite the change in direction for us. A lot of the things that we’ve been advocating for, even throughout the Biden administration, fruition,” Harcharek told the DCNF.

The NPR-A is a vast stretch of land on the North Slope designated by Congress for oil and gas development back in the 1970’s, and the DOI announced plans to reopen it in June. The NPR-A and nearby areas are estimated to contain approximately 8.7 billion barrels of retrievable oil, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

ANWR is a 19 million acre stretch of land home to the Iñupiat community and also contains vast ⚡Energy resources. The DOI announced that its new record of decision will reopen “1.56 million acres of the Coastal Plain to oil and gas leasing — reversing the previous administration’s 2024 plan that restricted development to the statutory minimum.”

“We don’t get blinded by the optimism, and we’re making sure that we’re advocating properly according to what our members want to see,” Harcharek said. “The cautious optimism is still there, but these decisions — we’re definitely supportive of the decision that came out today, specifically referencing AWR, and we look forward to seeing what is to come.”

President Donald Trump signed a day-one executive order aimed at unleashing Alaska’s ⚡Energy resources, and the One Big Beautiful Bill Act he signed into law on July 4 directs lease sales across the NPR-A. The DOI said that the upcoming NPR-A lease sale “will mark the first in the 23-million-acre reserve since 2019.”

“From day one, President Trump directed us to unlock Alaska’ ⚡Energy and resource potential while honoring commitments to the state and local communities,” said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum in a statement Thursday. “By reopening the Coastal Plain and advancing key infrastructure, we are strengthening ⚡Energy independence, creating jobs and supporting Alaska’s communities while driving economic growth across the state.”

The agency also noted Thursday that it is moving to help some road projects forward, including some permitting actions for Ambler Road as well as the Izembek and King Cove Land Exchange. Additionally, the Trump administration announced that it is “highlighting opportunities for eligible Alaska Native Vietnam-era veterans to apply for up to 160 acres of federal land they were unable to claim while serving their country.”

The DOI argues that “together, these actions reduce regulatory barriers, support local communities, and strengthen Alaska’s role in national ⚡Energy security and economic growth.” The agency noted that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Alaska will be accepting public comments on the announcements until Nov. 21.

Other Native community members also spoke to the DCNF previously about how the Trump administration is taking their concerns seriously after years of frustration during the Biden-era oil and gas crackdown.

“We appreciate Secretary Burgum’s early attention to our region and encourage the Trump-Vance administration to maintain open, ongoing dialogue with North Slope leaders to ensure policies that support our communities and self-determination in the long-term,” Iñupiat Community of the Arctic Slope natural resources director and tribal secretary Doreen Leavitt told the DCNF previously.

Notably, Burgum and several other secretaries in the ⚡Energy space visited Alaska and met with Native communities including VOICE in June.

Republican Alaska Rep. Nick Begich said in a statement Thursday that “today’s actions mark a turning point — proof that when the federal government works with Alaska, not against it, we can deliver real results for the people of our great state.”

“From honoring Alaska Native veterans through long-overdue land allotments, to authorizing the Ambler Access project and restoring the Coastal Plain program in ANWR, to finally securing the life-saving road to King Cove, this Administration is demonstrating that Alaska’s potential is America’s strength,” Begich continued. “These decisions unlock our resource potential and ensure that Alaska remains at the center of our nation’s strategic future.”

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