The US Banned Arctic Drilling
U.S. Federal Court Suspends Work in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, U.S. Department of Foreign Affairs Prepares New Report on Environmental Impact of Drilling Activities
A U.S. federal judge stopped the start of work needed for oil and gas drilling on the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), upholding the Biden administration’s temporary suspension of work in the area, Platts writes.
This pause in preparatory work at ANWR was extended by Secretary of the Interior Debra Haaland to give the US Department of Foreign Affairs time to prepare a new environmental impact report for the lease sale that would open ANWR to oil and gas development.
The Alaska State Development Finance Corporation expressed disappointment with the court’s decision. It has already entered into seven oil and gas leases for 365,775 acres (about 1.5 thousand km2) within the ANWR on January 19, 2021.
