Trump administration proposes oil leasing across 82% of Alaska reserve

The Trump administration has proposed opening 82% of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska to oil development, including areas around Teshekpuk Lake that have held protections for decades, according to reporting by the Alaska Beacon.

The integrated activity plan released by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management would expand leasing from about 11.7 million acres to over 18.5 million acres. It would replace the 2013 Obama-era framework and eliminate protections for the Colville River.

The plan follows a directive from President Donald Trump’s Inauguration Day executive order and is open for a 14-day public review and comment period. Environmental groups and Alaska Native communities have criticized the plan for threatening subsistence resources and wildlife habitats.