Trump Unlocks 13 Million Acres in Alaska for Oil and Gas Development

President Donald Trump is once again delivering on his promise to put American energy first and this time, it’s Alaska that’s reaping the rewards. On Monday, the Trump administration officially reversed a sweeping Biden-era regulation that had locked up over 13 million oil-rich acres in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A).

In doing so, President Trump has not only restored the balance between conservation and production, but also reignited the pathway to U.S. energy independence a goal the Biden administration nearly dismantled in favor of radical environmentalism.

Here’s what Biden’s failed policy looked like:

• 10.6 million acres of oil and gas land completely off-limits for development

• An additional 3 million acres shackled with burdensome “protections”

• A denial of a critical industrial road to access copper deposits vital for national security

• All while gas prices soared, inflation climbed, and Americans struggled to pay their energy bills

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum made it clear: “The 2024 rule ignored [Congress’s] mandate, prioritizing obstruction over production.” His statement echoed a growing chorus of outrage from Alaskans and energy producers who watched Biden’s environmental lobby crush local economies and derail our national energy security.

“Alaska’s right to self-determination is being restored,” said Rep. Nick Begich (R-AK), celebrating Trump’s decisive leadership. And it’s not just about rights it’s about resources. According to the Institute for Energy Research, the NPR-A contains a mean estimate of 895 million barrels of oil and 52.8 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

That’s not just potential that’s prosperity waiting to be tapped.

Under Trump’s leadership, these lands will no longer be treated like a museum exhibit for out-of-touch environmental activists in D.C. Instead, they will serve their original and legal purpose: fueling America’s future. The Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act of 1976 specifically designated these lands for energy production. Biden’s 2024 rule violated that statute by establishing a presumption against drilling in so-called “Special Areas,” flipping the law on its head and giving bureaucrats de facto veto power over vital energy projects.

Trump’s move doesn’t just unlock land it unlocks jobs, energy security, and geopolitical leverage.

In contrast, the Biden administration’s green agenda made us more dependent on hostile foreign regimes for oil, stifled American energy companies, and drove up costs for working families. And let’s not forget Biden only cracked down on Alaska after far-left climate activists threw a tantrum over the Willow Project, a single $8 billion oil development that Biden reluctantly approved and then tried to make up for by shutting down everything else in sight.

Now, under Trump, we’re back to a path where Alaska can responsibly develop its resources, Americans can pay less at the pump, and the country can break free from the grip of OPEC and China-controlled supply chains.

This is exactly the kind of leadership America needs bold, unapologetic, and laser-focused on putting the interests of the American people above the demands of international green lobbies and bureaucratic red tape.

President Trump has once again made it clear the future of U.S. energy is not in Brussels or Beijing it’s right here in the heart of Alaska.

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