ANWR 1002 production in Trump budget

It would require an act of Congress for a lease sale to occur in the 1002 area of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, but lease sale and production revenues are included in the federal budget submitted May 23 by President Donald Trump.

Revenues of $400 million are shown for fiscal year 2022 and revenues of $500 million for FY 2023, with other revenues - presumably production - of $400 million in FY 2026 at $400 million and $500 million in FY 2027. Total revenues from ANWR for the 2018-27 period are $1.8 billion.

The U.S. Department of the Interior said the 2018 budget “includes proposed legislation to authorize leasing for oil and gas in the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, with the first lease sale estimated to begin in 2022 or 2023.”

Alaska’s Republican congressional delegation supports, as they have consistently, opening the coastal plain. Congressman Don Young called it “a key component of our nation’s energy policy,” and noted the House has voted 12 times to open the coastal plain for drilling.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski said she was “particularly pleased to see a proposal for energy production from the non-wilderness 1002 area and continued investments in Alaska’s defense infrastructure,” while voicing disagreement with “drastic cuts to programs intended to help the most vulnerable among us.”

Sen. Dan Sullivan cited opening “the non-wilderness 1002 area for responsible resource development” as one of the positive elements in the budget, but said there wasn’t enough defense spending included.

On the opposing side, Gwen Dobbs of the Alaska Wilderness League said ANWR drilling “would have devastating impacts to this pristine and wild place owned by all Americans,” and said drilling there “is a highly controversial issue.” She said while it has been proposed as part of the budget process in the past it hasn’t passed Congress since 1995, and then it was vetoed by the president.

- KRISTEN NELSON