The Trump administration opened 689,000 acres of Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to oil and gas bidders on 5 June, pushing ahead with one of the most contested energy proposals in American history. The auction covers a remote and pristine habitat for species including polar bears, caribou, and migratory birds. It represents the latest test of industry appetite for drilling in northern Alaska — a high-risk endeavour involving decades of work and billions of dollars of investment.
The US Bureau of Land Management (BLM), an arm of the Department of the Interior, put 60 tracts up for auction. Companies were required to submit bids by 3 June, with results to be opened and read via a livestream at 10:00 am local time.
