As expected, the Biden Administration on Friday announced its restrictions on oil and gas leases in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, shutting down 13 million acres. The move was said to help caribou and polar bears in a warming Arctic.
This was the “final decision,” and one that was tied to the Biden approval of the Willow project, which may be the last project approved for Alaska. Biden, who is supported by Rep. Mary Peltola of Alaska, said he wanted to deny Willow, but his lawyers advised him he would lost in court. He said approving Willow and shutting down the rest of the NPR-A was a “hell of a trade-off.”
Sen. Dan Sullivan struck back, saying that Biden is lying about Native opposition to oil and gas leases.
“Joe Biden is lying. The elected Alaska Native leaders who live in the area vehemently oppose this rule on NPR-A,” he said. “The press should read their statement and give voice to these indigenous voices that have been cancelled by the Biden Administration.
Biden also announced the “no-build” option for the Ambler Access Road, a 211-mile industrial use road from the Dalton Highway to the Ambler Mining District. That access road is guaranteed in law, and the Biden decision will likely be challenged in court.
Must Read Alaska was the first to break the news that the Ambler Road decision would go against Alaska and would come around Earth Day, which is Monday.
“By denying access and the necessary right-of-way across federal lands, the BLM’s action essentially abandons these critical minerals, undermining not just regional economic growth but also national interests,” said Deantha Skibinski, executive director of the Alaska Miners Association. “This decision exposes a glaring hypocrisy: the Biden administration has repeatedly acknowledged the need for minerals and has touted sourcing them domestically. Unfortunately, it appears the Administration is content to rely on cobalt sourced through child and slave labor in Africa and China rather than supporting ethical, sustainable mineral production in Alaska.”
“We are incensed that the Biden administration has blatantly ignored Congress’ mandate in ANILCA that access ‘shall’ be provided to the Ambler district in Alaska and is once again blocking Alaska’s right to develop its resources,” said Leila Kimbrell, executive director for the Resource Development Council for Alaska. “While this obstructionist stance may curry favor with Outside environmentalists, this hurts Alaskans by denying thousands of jobs for this region and the economic uplift associated with developing new infrastructure that an access road would provide, as well as development of minerals crucial for reliable energy and national security.”
Rep. Peltola posted an objection to both of the decisions in a prepared post on X/Twitter.
“Closing of the NPR-A is a huge step back for Alaska, failing to strike a balance between the need for gap oil and natural gas and legitimate environmental concerns, and steamrolling the voices of many Alaska Natives in the decision-making process. The Ambler Road decision is premature, as real conversations among stakeholders in the region are ongoing. Alaska has a wealth of natural resources that can be responsibly developed to help boost domestic manufacturing and innovation—in the end, it should be up to Alaskans to decide what they want developed in their regions,” Peltola said.
When I lived in Gambell, we used to eat polar bears. Had to cook them real good to kill parasites.
For Gov. Dunleavy – What Would Wally Hickel Do??? Let the dozers loose on the Ambler Road.
Channel Wally now!!!
Biden is a dictator.
We are wards of the Kingdom, bow!
There’s gotta be some cotton to pick somewhere.
Everyone is a spy, surveillance bill is about to be voted on by the una party! Giving NSA complete power over us! Contact all your senators! This biggest power grab since the Patriot Act! Mike Johnson voted for it! All helping the corrupt Biden administration!
What’s this going to do for TAPS?
Taps has its permits I believe.
Who allowed this to happen?
LIBERAL LEFTIES
(who care about their government/non-profit paychecks, but not actual working people)
This won’t affect Alaska families because those mining jobs don’t pay enough to live in Alaska 😆 But I guess I do feel bad for the Chinese mining companies that won’t make billions extracting Alaskas resources.
Or should I feel bad for the troglodyte oil workers from Idaho, Texas, Arizona and California? Who move here thinking $25/hr is some hot wage, only to become a drug addict and live in their $50000 truck until it’s repoed.
I wish you didn’t sound like a loonie left chick but you do ! Hateful vindictive and no common sense
Mining jobs in Juneau pay nicely. Enough to establish residency and raise a family. Even with our prices.
The problem is CBJ constantly makes decisions that make establishing residence here difficult.
Are you a liberal? The compassion you show for troglodyte miners is telling.
Wow. I know plenty of people that work on Alaska’s resources, including Natives.
Those mining jobs usually pay in excess of 100k a year. Do your homework before you start spouting off. Most of the miners are exctly the kind of folks we want in Alaska. Get a life.
Or do we feel bad for Dan Sullivan? I bet he won’t be getting any sweet mining lobbyist money for awhile 😆😆😆😆
I guess $150.000 a year job is nothing to you. or the loss in revenue Alaskan business that support the mining. You are such a piece of trash you would rather use child labor in Africa to mine your metals.
You really don’t care about the substance of issues, do you?
You should feel sorry for your parents.
They raised a clueless idiot.
Welcome to AK (now go home)
You said it for me, George!
Wonder not why schools face smaller budgets, fewer students.
Those who supported lawsuits delaying Willow, and delaying the revenue it would bring to the State treasury . . . Support reductions in school budgets today.
Those in favor of stopping mining access to Ambler . . . . Support fewer jobs in Alaska, fewer taxes paid, and reduced school budgets.
Those who opposed the proposed second largest employer in Alaska, Pebble . . . . Oppose funding for Alaska schools.
Those who advocate to “leave it in the ground” and stopping oil, mining, as well as logging . . . . Support the closure of Alaska schools, courts, most State jobs, and employment opportunity in Alaska for future generations.
Economics is not complicated. No income, no money to spend. (Pssst: Can’t tax government employees enough to pay their own wages!)
Hopefully there is a silver lining on this dark cloud of flatulence emitting from Joe’s out of control bowels.
We can only hope that the cost of fuel for critical transportation and batteries to keep electric cars moving will be so high that only the elite will be able to afford those luxuries.
It wont be until then the useful idiots that voted democrat will wake up and see Joe and Hunter speeding down the highway to the ice cream store in his “green corvette” with a couple of Hunter’s prostitutes. They might (or might not) realize then they’ve been used.
Well said.
Surprised? I’m not. Grandpa Bloodstains intended it to be developed. Just approved to get votes.
And when he needed the progressive votes, he shut it all down.
One of the many excuses the left constantly ran with was he signed off on the lease. Followed with all the acres not being developed just sitting there.
Funny thing. All the leases on earth are useless when they can’t be developed.
The Ambler road just cost me a big piece of my next 4 years. My new rule find work anywhere but Alaska. Very discouraging day. Once again. Biden can pound sand. Worst president in American history.
We are gonna lose so many people who will never return.
It’s hard not be believe this isn’t part of a plan to depopulate Alaska so the government has its vacation spot.
We are losing 4000 a year right now and 72% are workforce age
My kids bailed and except for occasional vacations don’t return.
When my wife and I finally retire we’ll probably go south as well. Between the federal government and our own keystone kops, it’ll be fiscally irresponsible to stay
Rightfully so, this will no doubt stir up an emotional outburst, especially Alaskans and Alaskan Businesses that would have benefited from the potential development, as well as feeding much needed Tax Revenues back to local communities. So many of us struggle with these nonsensical decisions, basically watching these politico’s import resources from far away places (eg: Crude Oil from Venezuela, Critical Minerals from various villages in Africa, etc.) that don’t embody our Western Values. In reality, this is nothing less than a “Poker Game” being played, it’s how “The Sausage is Made” in today’s political environment.
So in the last several years DJT drove the price of oil down to below zero per Barrell ! Yep ! Joe Biden ( the worst president in US history ) has caused more oil exploration and development on state lands on the NorthSlope than I’ve seen in 40 years . His policies on oil and gas has caused a lot of work on the slope . I don’t agree with his foreign policy and it’s been a train wreck . However by driving price of oil thru the roof , Alaskans will directly benefit off the the oil additional oil being produced on state lands . Contractors can’t find folks to work trade jobs all winter on slope . Literally hiring plane loads of workers out of Texas . More work ahead with some of the busiest years ahead for the north slope . The production on the TransAlaskaPipeline is going to double in the next 48 months . This will create an enormous amount of work on TAPS . Get ready !
We should thank Biden for saving Alaska $$$$$ on two AIDEA boondoggles
Oh “Frank”…
Shaking head really sadly.
How is developing a field capable of delivering billions of barrels of oil for years a boondoggle?
Non of the major oil companies bid on ANWR because it is not finacially practical, unless MA knows something nobody else knows. Oh, forgot MA is an anonymous troll.
With the the arctic melting 5 times faster than anywhere else, you dare ask that question?
Ya Frank. Estimated $1 trillion in metals in the ambler district.the $ 200 million road is pocket change. Go pound sand
You sound idiotic when you say Biden is “saving Alaska $$$$$” by not building roads. You do realize how much money we are spending each month for other countries right? I mean you’re not that obtuse are you?
Joe Biden’s “Democracy” is more like iron fisted ruling with executive orders and illegal decisions which when challenged in court he still ignores judges ruling against his actions.
Its no wonder He gets away with harvesting cash using Hunter and Uncle Frank as his prostitute.
Gramps wanted to approve Willow but his lawyers said he’d lose in court? Since when do the courts matter to him? The Supreme Court said he couldn’t forgive student loan debt but the geezer does it anyway!!
And where’s Lisa…
He couldn’t do it under the article he was using, so he found a different way.
True. But I don’t see him looking very hard for a different way in this case.
Vote Trump
Shut down Biden
Vote kelly
Shut down Murkowski
Dan Sullivan, what did you expect? You voted for Deb Haaland. Hypocrite.
The reelect Mary Peltola campaign continues with a pair of assists from Dementia Hitler. But at least she has a nice smile and likes the fish. Jobs, a paycheck and a standard of living for individuals and their families, not so much. Cheers –
Sullivan panders to the Native voice now. Where was this guy when he voted yes to Haaland’s appointment.
Preserving the goods to hand over to the new Chinese landlords