The United States has blocked oil, gas and mining operations across tracts of unspoiled wilderness in Alaska, winning praise from environmentalists for safeguarding habitat for polar bears, caribou and other Arctic species. More than 13 million acres (5.2 million hectares) will come under new federal protection, while a permit to build a major road to access mineral deposits was denied in moves that angered industry bodies and some locals.
Alaska’s majestic and rugged lands and waters are among the most remarkable and healthy landscapes in the world, President Joe Biden said. These natural wonders demand our protection. But the state’s lawmakers in Washington slammed the measures, forming a bipartisan front to say they would fight to overturn them.
– Senator Lisa Murkowski: The Biden administration may be focused on short-term political gains, but at the expense of Alaska’s long-term future.
– Representative Mary Sattler Peltola: The announcement failed to strike a balance between the need for gas and oil and legitimate environmental concerns.
Ahead of the US presidential election in November, Biden is seeking to shore up his green credentials, which were damaged by a decision last year to green-light a project by US energy giant ConocoPhillips in Alaska. The Willow project, estimated to cost between $8-10 billion, was authorized under former president Donald Trump and later backed by Biden, triggering national protests by activists.
The Interior Department on Friday said the new protections would help tackle the effects of global warming, which is degrading Alaskan permafrost. The announcement finalizes measures unveiled in September affecting the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A), an ecologically important region for grizzly and polar bears, caribou, and hundreds of thousands of migratory birds.
– American Petroleum Institute: At a time when the world is looking for American energy leadership, this is yet another step in the wrong direction.
– Evergreen Action representative Mattea Mrkusic: We appreciate the Biden administration’s necessary step to strengthen protection.
The Arctic is warming faster than the rest of the planet, making environmental protection crucial. The actions announced ahead of Earth Day on Monday follow a recent ban on drilling in 2.8 million acres of the Beaufort Sea, ensuring all US Arctic Ocean waters are now off limits to new oil and gas leasing. Biden and Trump are in a close race for the White House, with a victory for Trump likely to see a reversal in environmental policies. – AFP
