Interior Department Suspends Oil and Gas Leases in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

Agency to Review Underlying Analysis of Oil and Gas Leases on the Coastal Plain

06/01/2021
Last edited 06/01/2021
Contact Information

Date: Tuesday, June 1, 2021
Contact: Interior_Press@ios.doi.gov

WASHINGTON — The Department of the Interior today suspended all activities related to the implementation of the Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge pending completion of a comprehensive analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

Secretarial Order 3401 directs the Department to initiate a comprehensive environmental analysis to review the potential impacts of the Program and to address legal deficiencies in the current leasing program’s environmental review under NEPA. The Department is notifying lessees that it is suspending oil and gas leases in the Arctic Refuge, pending the review, to determine whether the leases should be reaffirmed, voided, or subject to additional mitigation measures.

Under the previous administration, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) established and began administering an oil and gas program in the Coastal Plain of the Arctic Refuge. After the BLM prepared the “Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program Environmental Impact Statement” (EIS) under NEPA, the BLM held a lease sale on January 6, 2021, and subsequently issued 10-year leases on nine tracts covering more than 430,000 acres.

On Day One, President Biden issued Executive Order 13990, directing the Interior Department to review oil and gas activity in the Arctic Refuge. After conducting the required review, the Department identified defects in the underlying Record of Decision supporting the leases, including the lack of analysis of a reasonable range of alternatives in the EIS conducted under NEPA.

###

  • Press Release
    Aerial view of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska
    10/23/2025

    Interior Takes Bold Steps to Expand Energy, Local Control and Land Access in Alaska

    During an event with Alaska’s congressional delegation and Alaska’s governor, the Department of the Interior announced a sweeping package of actions to boost energy development, modernize land and resource management across Alaska, and improve public health and safety for Alaskans. These steps include reopening the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil and gas leasing, completing right-of-way permits for the Ambler Road, moving forward with the King Cove–Cold Bay Road corridor through a land exchange, and providing land allotments for eligible Alaska Native Vietnam-era veterans. Together, these actions reduce regulatory barriers, support local communities, and strengthen Alaska’s role in national energy security and economic growth.

    Read more

Was this page helpful?

Please provide a comment