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Interior moves to reopen up to 82% of NPR-A for oil and gas leasing
Kay Cashman Petroleum News
On June 17, the U.S. Department of the Interior announced a new step to support American energy independence and unleash the vast resource potential of Alaska's National Petroleum Reserve.
A draft analysis released for public comment supports the selection of a new alternative from the 2020 plan that would reopen up to 82% of the 23-million-acre reserve to oil and gas leasing and development, consistent with the Trump administration's commitment to Energy Dominance and regulatory reform.
The proposal advances the Bureau of Land Management's process to update its Integrated Activity Plan in line with the 2020 framework for managing the reserve. The draft environmental assessment reflects the latest available data and supports Executive Order 14153 and Secretary's Order 3422, both of which prioritize maximizing Alaska's vast resources to strengthen America's energy and economic security, the department said.
"This plan is about creating more jobs for Americans, reducing our dependence on foreign oil and tapping into the immense energy resources the National Petroleum Reserve was created to deliver," Acting Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management Adam Suess was quoted as saying: "Under President Trump's leadership, we're cutting red tape and restoring commonsense policies that ensure responsible development and good stewardship of our public lands."
Congress designated the reserve for oil and gas exploration in response to the 1970s energy crisis, recognizing its critical role in national energy strategy. The Bureau of Land Management manages the reserve under the Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act, which mandates an "expeditious program of competitive leasing" while safeguarding key surface resources.
This proposed plan also builds on the department's efforts to reverse burdensome regulations -- such as the planned rescission of the 2024 rule that restricted leasing in the reserve -- ensuring the United States can meet current and future energy needs.
The public is invited to review and comment on the draft analysis through the BLM National NEPA Register. Comments may be submitted online via the "Participate Now" button. The comment period will remain open until July 1, 2025.
Proposed Action Compared to the No Action alternative, the Proposed Action focuses on allowing for the possibility of expanded development while managing its potential effects. Under this alternative, approximately 18.7 million acres, or 82% of the NPR-A's subsurface estate, would be available for oil and gas leasing. New infrastructure would be prohibited on approximately 4.3 million acres.
All of the Teshekpuk Lake Special Area would be available for leasing, with potential impacts on caribou calving habitat and important bird habitat primarily mitigated through NSO (no surface occupancy) stipulations and TLs (timing limitations), among other operational measures.
The extent of NSO coverage means that some areas, while technically available for leasing, would not be within reach of current directional drilling technology; however, keeping those areas available for leasing allows for advances in future technology.
Project description The BLM Alaska State Office has prepared an Environmental Assessment, or EA, to evaluate new circumstances and information that have arisen since the publication of the 2020 National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A) Integrated Activity Plan Environmental Impact Statement (2020 IAP/EIS) to ensure that the environmental analysis previously conducted is sufficient or is updated and expanded upon, as appropriate.
The BLM is undertaking this review of the 2020 IAP/EIS to determine the appropriate management of all BLM-managed 23 million acres in the NPR-A in a manner consistent with existing statutory direction, Executive Order (EO) 14153, and Secretary's Order (SO) 3422.
Comment period The comment period was initiated on June 17 and lasts for a period of 14 days, ending on July 1 at 9:59 pm AKDT.
The BLM welcomes all substantive comments.
--KAY CASHMAN
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