The U.S. Department of Interior's Bureau of Land Management has proposed rescinding a rule put in place last year that added new restrictions on oil and gas development in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, per a June 2 press release from BLM.
After a thorough legal and policy review, BLM and Interior officials concluded that the 2024 rule entitled "Management and Protection of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska" exceeds the agency's statutory authority under the Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act of 1976, conflicts with the Act's purpose and imposes unnecessary barriers to responsible energy development in the NPR-A.
The petroleum reserve, encompassing approximately 23 million acres on Alaska's North Slope, was set aside by Congress for oil and gas exploration and development as a matter of national energy security and policy in reaction to the oil crisis in the 1970s. BLM administers the reserve pursuant to the Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act, which mandates an "expeditious program of competitive leasing" while balancing the protection of surface resources.
"Congress was clear: the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska was set aside to support America's energy security through responsible development," said Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. "The 2024 rule ignored that mandate, prioritizing obstruction over production and undermining our ability to harness domestic resources at a time when American energy independence has never been more critical. We're restoring the balance and putting our energy future back on track."
The 2024 rule significantly expanded procedural requirements and created a presumption against oil and gas activity in approximately 13 million acres designated as "Special Areas" unless operators could prove minimal or no adverse effects on surface resources. Interior said those provisions not only lack a basis in the Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act but undermine BLM's obligation to carry out an effective and timely leasing program.
The proposed rescission is consistent with recent Executive Orders issued by President Trump in January 2025 -- E.O. 14153, "Unleashing Alaska's Extraordinary Resource Potential" and E.O. 14156 "Declaring a National Emergency."
These directives emphasize the urgent need to reverse restrictive policies that hinder domestic energy development and economic growth, particularly in Alaska.
"Under the proposed rule rescission, the BLM would revert to the regulations that were in place prior to May 7, 2024, which have long guided responsible development in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska while incorporating protections for wildlife, subsistence and surface values through the Integrated Activity Plan process," BLM said June 2.
The proposed rule will be published in the Federal Register and open to public comment for 60 days.
Voice of the Arctic Inupiat
Also on June 2, Voice of the Arctic Inupiat, or VOICE, praised the action.
"Today's decision by the BLM is another important milestone in our effort to advance our Inupiaq self-determination on our North Slope homelands," said Nagruk Harcharek, president of VOICE. "It underscores what VOICE has always known and argued in court on behalf of our 21 member organizations: that the Biden administration's 2023 rule affecting our NPR-A lands is deeply flawed and poses significant risks to our communities, economy, and culture. We applaud this development and look forward to collaborative engagement with the federal government and Congress about durable policies that support North Slope Inupiat self-determination."
In its June 2 release, VOICE said, "The draft rule, which was announced yesterday at a National Energy Dominance Council Session by a federal delegation in Utqiaġvik, which included Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin, will reverse the previous administration's unilateral actions in the NPR-A and create opportunities for Inupiaq communities and culture to thrive in the long term."
In September 2023, "the Biden administration blindsided North Slope Inupiat communities when it announced a proposed rule to 'protect' 13 million acres of Indigenous lands and waters located within the NPR-A. This rule was crafted unilaterally by the former administration without consulting Indigenous leaders and communities who would be most impacted by the rule, with many learning of the announcement through the press."
In June 2024, VOICE filed a lawsuit on behalf of its members challenging the Biden administration's rule and highlighting its significant risks to Indigenous communities and Inupiaq culture.
Native Village of Atqasuk President Mary Bordeaux said, "The BLM's decision to issue a revised draft rule is an important victory for the Village of Atqasuk, which resides wholly within the NPR-A and has stewarded its lands and waters for thousands of years. This reverses the Biden administration's unilateral policies, which would significantly impact our community, and sets the stage for greater consultation with the North Slope Inupiat to develop more durable, comprehensive policies affecting our lands and people."
Taxation
More than 95% of the North Slope's tax revenue is derived from taxation on resource development infrastructure. These funds support essential services, such as schools, health clinics, modern water and sewer systems, and world-class wildlife management and research supporting Indigenous subsistence traditions. The proliferation of these services is directly connected to significant increases in average lifespan for the North Slope Inupiat from just 34 years in 1969 to 77 years today --the largest increase of its kind in the United States over that period.
"Our communities rely on the NPR-A, both for traditional subsistence resources and for valuable tax revenues generated by economic development opportunities on our Indigenous homelands," said Mayor of Utqiaġvik Asisaun Toovak. "Given the importance of Inupiaq lands to our cultural traditions and vital, modern community infrastructure that is ubiquitous in the Lower 48, but has only recently arrived on the North Slope, it is imperative that policies affecting our homelands be created in consultation with our elected leaders."
VOICE is a nonprofit organization established in 2015 by the region's collective elected Inupiat leadership and is dedicated to preserving and advancing North Slope Inupiat cultural and economic self-determination. Its members include local governments, Alaska Native corporations, federally recognized tribes and tribal non-profits across the North Slope of Alaska.
Delegation, governor
On June 2, U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, Rep. Nick Begich (all R-Alaska) and Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy all said they welcomed the announcement from BLM that it will initiate a public process to rescind an unlawful 2024 rule that restricts responsible oil and gas development in the NPR-A.
"Last night at a town hall in Utqiaġvik, Secretary Burgum announced that the Interior Department will rescind the Biden administration's illegal rule that tried to turn vast swaths of NPR-A into de facto 'wilderness,'" said Sullivan. "The announcement was roundly met with cheers from Alaskans of the North Slope, who understand better than anyone the proper balance between responsible oil production and the subsistence way of life they cherish. Responsible resource development has transformed the lives of the Inupiat people, supporting the construction of clinics, gymnasiums, water infrastructure -- basic amenities most Americans take for granted. Thank you, Secretary Burgum, for respecting the voices of Alaskans, for standing up for the self-determination of the Inupiat people, and for sharing this important announcement among the people who will most benefit from it."
