Environmental organizations are taking legal action to halt fossil fuel exploration in Alaska following the Trump administration’s decision to reverse Biden-era restrictions, which had previously limited drilling in the region.
Late Thursday, President Trump signed two Congressional Review Acts (CRA) that aim to promote energy production in Alaska. On the same day, Earthjustice, representing various green organizations, initiated a lawsuit aimed at challenging the Trump administration’s approval of a ConocoPhillips drilling project on Alaska’s North Slope.
The Sovereign Inupiat for a Living Arctic, an Alaska Native environmental group, has been vocal about the impact of these policies. Along with the Center for Biological Diversity and the Wilderness Society, they are working to oppose the development in this sensitive area.
Trump’s signing of HJ Res. 106 and HJ Res. 131, introduced by Republican Representative Nick Begich from Alaska, effectively nullified a Biden administration plan that aimed to close off 13 million acres to energy production. This also included previous efforts to curb oil and gas exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Coastal Plain (ANWR).
In his remarks, Begich expressed confidence that lifting restrictions in Alaska would not only strengthen national security but also bolster economic opportunities for the country. “These bills are part of a broader strategy to restore our energy independence and ensure the U.S. maintains control over critical supply chains,” he stated.
He highlighted Alaska’s unique advantages, especially as the demand for energy rises across the nation. Local representatives have suggested that reversing Biden’s policies is essential for achieving American energy dominance.
This recent signing marks the fourth piece of legislation initiated by Begich during his first year in Congress. He and other Alaskans, including tribal leaders, have criticized past administrative actions that they believe unfairly targeted their resource development potential.
Begich previously noted that around 70 executive actions under Biden specifically undermined Alaska’s ability to utilize its mineral and energy resources—orders that he believes were disproportionately aimed at Alaska compared to other states.
President Nagluk Halcharek of the Voices of the Arctic Inupiat, a group advocating for numerous Native American businesses in the region, emphasized the essential role oil and gas play in sustaining the North Slope’s economy. He remarked, “The economy of our area relies heavily on oil and gas activities, which support critical infrastructure like schools and healthcare.”
While Biden’s administration sought to impose restrictions, the Trump administration managed to ease many of those constraints by expanding fossil fuel leasing. This included significant retreats from prior environmental regulations, such as the contentious Keystone XL pipeline initiative. Biden had effectively halted it soon after taking office.
