Story perspectives

Interior Grants Alaska Reserve Winter Drilling Exemption

By Drooid · Oct 11, 2026, 2:43 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Interior Department announced an exemption for winter oil and gas exploration in Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve.
The exemption permits seismic surveys, temporary roads, and exploratory well drilling.
Interior said the activities have no significant environmental impact.
Earthjustice attorney Janet Bering said the rule fast-tracks drilling without environmental analysis.
BLM Alaska director Kevin Pendergast said the exemption will locate resources and increase revenue.

History

Historical Context

In 1971 President Richard Nixon signed the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, granting Alaska Natives 44 million acres and $963 million and creating corporations. The 1968 Prudhoe Bay oil discovery and 1977 pipeline sparked a boom that led to 1980 ANILCA conservation expansion and 1989 Exxon Valdez spill. That history of development and protection underlies the Interior exemption for winter seismic surveys, challenged by Earthjustice.

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Story summary

Interior Department announced an exemption for winter oil and gas exploration in Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve.
The exemption permits seismic surveys, temporary roads, and exploratory well drilling.
Interior said the activities have no significant environmental impact.
Earthjustice attorney Janet Bering said the rule fast-tracks drilling without environmental analysis.
BLM Alaska director Kevin Pendergast said the exemption will locate resources and increase revenue.

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