Biden Administration Restricts Oil Leasing In Alaskan Petroleum Reserve

In this undated photo provided by the United States Geological Survey, permafrost forms a grid-like pattern in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, managed by the Bureau of Land Management on Alaska

The Biden administration announced on Friday its decision to restrict new oil and gas leasing on 13 million acres of a federal petroleum reserve in Alaska. This move aims to safeguard wildlife such as caribou and polar bears as the Arctic region faces increasing temperatures due to climate change.

The finalized protections were initially proposed last year in response to the approval of the controversial Willow oil project. Environmentalists criticized the approval of Willow, stating that it contradicted President Biden's commitment to combatting climate change. The decision also upholds a previous plan to close nearly half of the reserve to oil and gas leasing.