Turning the Tides: The Biden Administration's Arctic Drilling Policy Shift

By Miguel Lopes, September 12, 2023

The Biden administration has taken a significant step to protect federal land from oil and gas exploration.

The Biden administration has taken a significant step to protect federal land from oil and gas exploration. On September 6th, 2023, it announced measures that include prohibiting drilling in 13 million acres of pristine wilderness in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska and canceling all drilling leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. However, it's important to note that the $8 billion Willow oil drilling project in the same area, approved in 2022 by President Biden, will continue.

The new regulations aim to provide maximum protection for nearly half of the petroleum reserve, explicitly prohibiting new oil and gas leasing in 10.6 million acres of the reserve. An additional 2.4 million acres would have strict safeguards to minimize impacts on wildlife.  President Biden said in a statement:

“We have a responsibility to protect this treasured region for all ages. Canceling all remaining oil and gas leases issued under the previous administration in the Arctic Refuge and protecting more than 13 million acres in the western Arctic will help preserve our Arctic lands and wildlife, while honoring the culture, history, and enduring wisdom of Alaska Natives who have lived on these lands since time immemorial.” 

While some environmental groups see this as a positive step, it carries political risks. Rising oil prices may create risks to President Biden as Republicans accuse the President of harming the country's energy independence. Additionally, some citizens from Alaska argue that their communities depend on drilling for jobs and revenue. According to the Bureau of Land Management, with more than one-third of Alaska jobs directly tied to the oil industry (roughly 110,000 jobs and $6 billion in public and private sector wages) the benefits of developing oil and gas resources in Alaska cannot be ignored. 

Deirdre Shelly, campaign director for the Sunrise Movement, said young people remained angry about the Willow decision and that the new Arctic protections did not make up for it. But she did praise the new announcements as “exactly the sort of thing young people and people in the climate movement want to see from the president.”

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge was opened to drilling under the Trump administration, a move that outraged environmentalists and overturned six decades of protections for the area, the largest remaining stretch of untouched wilderness in the United States.

On his first day in office, President Biden signed an executive order halting Arctic drilling, and in 2021 suspended the leases that had been granted by the Trump administration, citing problems with environmental reviews. Last month a federal judge rejected a challenge by the state of Alaska, saying the federal government had the authority to suspend the leases while it conducted an additional environmental analysis.

The decision is expected to face legal challenges from the fossil fuel industry. Notably, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, previously protected, was opened to drilling under President Trump, despite its ecological significance. This site is home to grizzly and polar bears, snowy owls and migratory birds. Polar bears are particularly vulnerable to energy development in the Arctic Refuge. They are listed as a threatened species under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

The decision to cancel leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge reflects ongoing concerns about climate change and the sensitivity of Arctic ecosystems to drilling. It also aligns with efforts to address the disproportionate impacts of climate change in the Arctic region. However, the battle over the future of drilling in the Arctic is far from over, with legal challenges and political debates likely to continue.

Change The Chamber is a bipartisan coalition of over 100 student groups, including undergraduates, graduate students and recent graduates.