The Biden administration has approved plans for a sale of oil and gas leases in Alaska, allowing for potential drilling in a portion of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The lease sale is scheduled for January 9, shortly before President Joe Biden leaves office. This sale will cover only a fraction of the land available in a previous sale held during the Trump administration.
The 2017 law mandated two lease sales by late 2024, with the first sale seeing major oil companies opting out. The Biden administration has canceled seven leases from the initial sale, and the possibility of drilling in the refuge remains uncertain due to ongoing litigation.
