The U.S. Department of the Interior has taken another step towards allowing oil and gas drilling in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge by issuing a draft environmental impact statement for the leasing program proposed for the 1002 Area (coastal plain). In 2017, Congress mandated the U.S. Secretary of the Interior to establish a program for the development of the Coastal Plain, and last week the Bureau of Land Management released the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program for public review and comment. The first lease sale will be held after the Final EIS and Record of Decision is issued and will offer over 400,000 acresfor bid. “An energy-dominant America starts with an energy-dominant Alaska, and among the scores of accomplishments we have had at Interior under President Donald J. Trump, taking these steps toward opening the 1002 section of Alaska’s North Slope […]