JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — In a pivotal move concerning energy development, the Trump administration is dispatching three key Cabinet members to Alaska this week, aiming to advance oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and revive a longstanding natural gas project. The delegation includes Department of Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin.
The visit follows an executive order signed by Trump earlier this year, which is designed to bolster oil and gas drilling, mining, and logging activities in Alaska. This trip coincides with ongoing tariff negotiations with Asian countries, which may serve as leverage for acquiring investments in the proposed Alaska liquefied natural gas project, a venture that has seen stagnation over the past few years.
The officials' itinerary includes a meeting on Sunday in Anchorage with resource development groups and U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski. They will then travel to Utqiagvik, an Arctic town located on the oil-rich North Slope, where many Alaska Native leaders regard oil development as economically essential for the region. Moreover, the federal officials plan to visit the Prudhoe Bay oil field on Monday, situated more than 850 miles (1,368 kilometers) north of Anchorage, and deliver a speech at Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy's annual energy conference on Tuesday in Anchorage.
While visits from U.S. officials to Alaska during the warmer months are not uncommon, Dunleavy’s office highlighted the significance of this particular visit. The governor, a close ally of Trump, expressed gratitude for an administration that acknowledges Alaska's distinct value. A number of representatives from various Asian countries, including Japan, are anticipated to partake in part of this trip, indicating the U.S. pressure on them to invest in the pipeline project, notwithstanding environmental opposition and skepticism.
Environmentalists in Alaska have criticized the agenda associated with Dunleavy's conference. Andy Moderow, senior policy director with the Alaska Wilderness League, argued that emphasizing fossil fuels alongside renewable energy sources legitimizes outdated energy models. He believes the focus should be on climate solutions that will benefit Alaskans rather than attempting to exploit regions that are currently unattractive for industrial development, particularly the Arctic Refuge.
Historically, Trump has taken credit for provisions in a 2017 tax law championed by Alaska’s congressional delegation, which mandates two oil and gas lease sales in the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge by late 2024. The first sale is entangled in legal proceedings, with the primary bidder being a state corporation that saw its seven leases canceled by then-President Joe Biden’s administration. A ruling in March upheld that Biden’s administration had overstepped, and the Interior Department is currently working to reinstate these leases following Trump's executive order.
Opposition to drilling in the Arctic Refuge has long been a contentious issue, especially given that this area is home to polar bears, musk oxen, and migratory birds. Many indigenous Gwich’in leaders argue the coastal plain is sacred land, vital to a caribou herd on which they rely. Supporters of drilling among North Slope Iñupiat leaders, who felt marginalized during Biden's tenure, hope to assert their views during the Trump officials’ visit, advocating for development in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, which Trump has promoted, and for inclusion in future planning decisions.
Efforts to develop North Slope natural gas have been ongoing, with aspirations of providing affordable energy to Alaska residents and boosting revenues through exports. However, cost concerns and competition from alternate projects have hindered progress. The latest proposal includes an approximately 810-mile (1,300-kilometer) pipeline designed to transport gas from the North Slope to a processing and export facility for liquefied natural gas destined for Asian markets. In a recent speech to Congress, Trump emphasized his support for the “gigantic natural gas pipeline,” noting interest from countries such as Japan and South Korea in potential investments, though no firm commitments have been secured.
Governor Dunleavy has characterized Trump’s supportive stance toward energy development as a continual blessing for Alaska. However, the state faces fiscal challenges due to plummeting oil prices which are significantly lower than a year prior, consequently straining state revenues.
The interest from lawmakers across political lines in Alaska has culminated in a resolution urging Congress to allocate 90% of royalty revenues from oil and gas leases in the Arctic Refuge. This resolution also calls for similar revenue schemes to be applied to the petroleum reserve. The existing tax structure allows companies like ConocoPhillips Alaska, which is developing a noteworthy oil project known as Willow in the reserve, to offset some development costs against production taxes imposed elsewhere in the North Slope, demonstrating widespread legislative support for this financial strategy.
