The Biden administration announced on Monday it will proceed with the smallest possible oil and gas lease sale in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
This move barely meets the mandates set by Congress, under the shadow of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The Bureau of Land Management is compelled to auction drilling rights in this pristine wilderness by year’s end, despite vocal opposition from many within the Democratic Party, according to The Hill. This approach includes leasing exactly 400,000 acres—the least required by law.
Set for Jan. 9, the impending lease sale positions itself as a contentious prelude to the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump, who will assume office a mere 11 days later, The Hill reported. This timing is a potential pivot towards more expansive energy policies favored by the previous Trump administration, which executed the first…
