Trump Drilling Approvals in Alaska on Hold Pending Biden Review

摘要

Lawsuits by environmental groups challenging the Trump administration’s decision to open parts of Alaska to oil and gas development will be on hold pending the Biden administration’sreview, an Alaskan federal court ruled.The stay will last until May 10 so new officials within the Department of the Interior can review the issue, according to the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska.The Bureau of Land Management planned to open 82%, or more than 18.5 million acres, of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska to oil and gas leasing. The plan announced in 2018 was areversal of the Obama administration’s decision to close about half of the reserve to such leasing, according to the lawsuits.