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By Michael D. Carroll
Breaking News Editor
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On his first day in office Monday, President Donald Trump signed a sweeping executive order to expand oil and gas drilling, mining, and logging in Alaska, aligning with a wish list submitted by Alaska Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy for drilling in the state to expand after Trump's election.
Why It Matters
The order—which is being cheered by political leaders as a means to improve Alaska's economic prospects and reverse its fall in population—calls for opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas drilling, an area considered sacred by the Indigenous Gwich'in people. It also seeks to reverse Biden-era restrictions on drilling in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska on the North Slope and lift curbs on logging and road-building in a temperate rain forest that serves as a habitat for wolves, bears, and salmon.
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What to Know
Trump's executive order largely seeks to restore policies from his first term, rolling back restrictions on drilling and logging in Alaska. However, implementing these changes won't be immediate, experts warn.
"Trump just can't wave a magic wand and make these things happen," said Cooper Freeman, Alaska director at the Center for Biological Diversity. Freeman emphasized that environmental laws and regulations must still be followed, and legal challenges to the administration's plans are almost certain.
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Who Opposes Drilling in Alaska?
The order is expected to face significant opposition from environmental groups, setting the stage for prolonged legal battles.
Trump's executive order aims to reverse the former Biden administration decision that canceled seven oil and gas leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge's coastal plain.
Trump's executive order directs the Interior secretary to "initiate additional leasing" and approve all necessary permits and easements to facilitate oil and gas exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
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Do All Indigenous Communities Oppose Alaska Drilling?
The move has reignited tensions among Indigenous communities. Gwich'in leaders remain firmly opposed to drilling, emphasizing the coastal plain's critical role in sustaining a caribou herd central to their way of life.
In contrast, leaders of the Iñupiaq community of Kaktovik, located within the refuge, have expressed support for energy development, voicing hope that their perspectives will be considered by the Trump administration after facing frustrations under Biden.
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What People Are Saying
Republican U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan declared "It is morning again in Alaska." He added "President Trump delivered on his first day in office!" Dunleavy said on social media "This is why elections matter."
Cooper Freeman, Alaska director at the Center for Biological Diversity, said "We're ready and looking forward to the fight of our lives to keep Alaska great, wild and abundant."
Aaron Weiss, deputy director of the conservation group Center for Western Priorities, called Trump's order an "everything, everywhere, all-at-once order" that seeks to undo measures that in some cases it took the Biden administration years to enact.
Donald Trump vowed in his inaugural address to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement. "We will drill, baby, drill," he said.
What Happens Next
Dunleavy has repeatedly argued that development of Alaska's vast resources are critical for its future, and he's billed the underground storage of carbon and carbon offset programs as a way to diversify revenues while continuing to develop oil, gas and coal and pursue timber programs.
Meanwhile, communities have experienced the impacts of climate change, including thinning sea ice, coastal erosion and thawing permafrost that undermines infrastructure.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press
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