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The Trump administration announced on Monday its intention to revoke federal protections over millions of acres within Alaska's National Petroleum Reserve, an area renowned for its ecological significance. This move aims to open the protected wilderness to drilling and mining activities.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum criticized the Biden administration's prior decision to ban oil and gas drilling in more than half of the 23 million-acre reserve, describing it as an overreach of authority. “We’re restoring the balance and putting our energy future back on track,” Burgum said.

Encompassing around 600 miles north of Anchorage, the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska is bordered by the Chukchi Sea to the west and the Beaufort Sea to the north. It stands as the largest single area of public land in the United States, serving as a vital habitat for diverse wildlife including grizzly bears, polar bears, caribou, and various migratory birds.

Initially designated in the early 1900s to provide emergency fuel for the Navy, the reserve’s role shifted in 1976 when Congress authorized its commercial development. The mandate emphasized a balance between oil extraction and the conservation of wildlife and natural resources.

President Trump's proposed repeal aligns with his broader agenda to boost oil and gas production on public lands, with an intent to dismantle existing climate and environmental protections. The administration's resolve to push forward with the "drill, baby, drill" approach indicates a significant shift in policy, prioritizing energy development over environmental preservation.