President Donald Trump spent the first hours of his second term signing a sweeping executive order aimed at boosting Alaska's natural resources by reversing environmental protections that have restricted oil and gas extraction, logging and other development projects across the state. industry. [emphasis, links added]
The order is one of dozens Trump signed after taking office on Monday. Another order signed earlier in the day reversed executive actions taken by former President Joe Biden while he was president. Lift restrictions on oil development in the Arctic Ocean and Bering Sea.
Trump's sweeping order is called “Unlocking Alaska's extraordinary resource potential” Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy is demanding swift action to reform federal offices and policies that oversee Alaska's resource development industry.
These policy changes also have the support of Alaska’s all-Republican congressional delegation.
Trump's order aims to reshape federal policy so the country “Taking advantage of Alaska’s vast land and resources.”
The order continues to be laid out Various regulations aimed at paving the way for more oil and gas drilling; more logging; more mining; and more hunting on federal lands.
The order directs federal government agency heads to To revoke, repeal, or amend regulations inconsistent with Alaska resource developmentIncludes much of what Biden has released while in office.
In fact, many of the provisions in the order bring federal policy back to where it was in January 2021, when Trump was last in office.
• The order reverses Biden’s action to halt oil and gas exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. During his first term, Trump proposed a move to allow oil and gas exploration in protected areas, but Biden reversed it.
• Trump also ordered A request by the Biden administration to consider establishing an indigenous sacred site in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge has been rejected.
• Order revokes Biden's denial of right-of-way permit to build controversial 200-mile road in wilderness Travel to the Ambler Mine in northwest Alaska.
• Order seeks to repeal “Roadless Rule” again Designed to limit logging in Alaska's Tongass National Forest. It was an action Trump took during his first term that Biden later reversed.
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Senator Dan Sullivan said in a statement Alaska 'under relentless attack' under Biden And that one Trump's order and promised policies 'will put Alaskans back in the driver's seat of our state's destiny' Promote resource development projects.
The action was celebrated by Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a frequent critic of Trump even though she aligns with him on energy policy.
“President Trump is picking up where he left off, Reversing years of damaging decisions to prioritize unparalleled opportunities for responsible energy and mineral development in Alaska,” Murkowski said in a statement.
Alaska is liberated! On his first day in office, President Trump signed an executive order recognizing Alaska as a true energy warehouse, paving the way for unprecedented opportunities in resource development and energy independence. Read the executive order:…
— Governor Mike Dunleavy (@GovDunleavy) January 21, 2025
Both Dunleavy and U.S. Rep. Nick Begich, the newest member of Alaska’s congressional delegation, welcomed Trump’s executive order.
In a video shot inside the Capitol where Trump's inauguration was held, Begich said before signing the executive order: He is “excited to take the next steps to open up Alaska for the benefit of Alaskans and our entire nation.”
Read the full article from the Anchorage Daily News
