Bureau of Land Management reopens vast areas of National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska for energy development
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ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The Bureau of Land Management has approved an updated Integrated Activity Plan for the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska that reopens nearly 82 percent of the 23-million-acre reserve to oil and gas leasing. The decision aligns management with the 2020 plan and restores the Reserve’s core purpose as a strategic domestic energy supply.
“This updated plan is a major step forward in restoring the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska to the purpose Congress intended,” said Acting BLM Director Bill Groffy. “By opening more of the reserve to responsible development, we are helping meet national energy needs while continuing the legacy begun in the 2020 plan for thorough environmental review and strong engagement with Alaska communities.”
The Bureau of Land Management completed an environmental assessment to evaluate any new circumstances and information that had emerged since 2020. As part of that process, the agency invited consultation with tribes and Alaska Native Corporations and held a 14-day public comment period on the draft assessment.
“The plan approved today gives us a clear framework and needed certainty to harness the incredible potential of the reserve,” said BLM Alaska State Director Kevin Pendergast. “We look forward to continuing to work with Alaskans, industry and local partners as we move decisively into the next phase of leasing and development.”
Congress first established the reserve, formerly known as Naval Petroleum Reserve Number 4, as a strategic domestic energy source to support our military’s energy needs during wartime. The Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act of 1976 directs the Secretary of the Interior to carry out an expeditious program of competitive oil and gas leasing and development, while protecting surface values to the extent consistent with the exploration and production requirements of the Act.
Today’s decision is part of a broader effort to increase access to federal lands in Alaska. It follows the recent rescission of the 2024 rule that restricted leasing in the Reserve and the withdrawal of three policy documents that sought to expand limitations in special areas.
The action advances the Trump administration’s efforts to expand domestic energy production under Executive Order 14153 and Secretary’s Order 3422, strengthening American energy security and economic opportunity.
The BLM is preparing to hold a lease sale in the reserve this winter, the first of five directed under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. While the agency has offered tracts in the area since the 1980s, this will be the first lease sale since 2019. The BLM initiated the process in October with a Call for Nominations and Comments, and will soon announce sale details in a Notice of Sale.
The BLM manages about 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.