Interior Withdraws Restrictive Special Area Policies in Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve to Advance Energy Development

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — As part of President Trump’s ongoing commitment to fully develop Alaska’s vast energy resources and reinforce American Energy Dominance, the Department of the Interior today announced that the Bureau of Land Management has rescinded three policy documents that sought to expand and intensify restrictions on special area management within the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska. 

The rescinded documents include: 

• A request for information titled “Special Areas within the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska” that published in the Federal Register in July 2024.
• A report titled “Maximizing Protection in the National Petroleum Reserve – Alaska” published in January 2025.
• A BLM memorandum entitled “BLM Interim Management of Special Areas within the National Petroleum Reserve – Alaska” published in January 2025.  

These documents were developed without sufficient deference to statutory direction, economic realities or the voices of Alaskans, and threatened to unnecessarily restrict access to vital domestic energy resources. 

“Alaska’s resource potential has been held hostage for years by anti-development ideologues,” said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. “The Trump administration is delivering certainty for industry, opportunity for Alaskans and real energy security for the American people. We are committed to putting development back at the center of land management where it belongs.”  

This action implements direction from Executive Order 14153 and Secretary’s Order 3422, both titled “Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential.” It also supports the administration’s broader national energy strategy outlined in Executive Orders 14154 and 14156, as well as Secretary’s Orders 3417 and 3418. Together, today’s actions reaffirm the administration’s commitment to promoting responsible energy development, reducing reliance on foreign sources and ensuring the full use of domestic resources to support the nation’s economic and strategic needs. 

Alaskans, particularly those living and working across the North Slope, have been clear in their opposition to the expansion of special areas that could hinder responsible energy development. From the substantive comments received in response to the request for information notice, many opposed the previous administration’s push to redefine or expand special areas at the expense of development opportunities. The January 16, 2025, report disregarded this feedback.  

Today’s actions ensure that local voices are respected and that the BLM’s policy aligns with the intended purpose of the National Petroleum Reserve. Congress created the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska to serve as a strategic domestic energy supply. The Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act directs the Secretary of the Interior to implement an expeditious program of competitive oil and gas leasing while protecting surface values to the extent consistent with the exploration, development and transportation of oil and gas. This mandate is not served by attempts to unilaterally expand restrictive management zones that contradict congressional intent. 

Today’s actions are part of a broader push by the Department of the Interior to modernize resource policy in Alaska. This includes the rescission of the 2024 rule that curtailed leasing in the National Petroleum Reserve and the implementation of a new Integrated Activity Plan that better reflects statutory priorities and Alaska’s economic needs. 

By lifting these burdensome restrictions, the Trump administration is reaffirming its commitment to restoring commonsense land management, prioritizing national energy independence and empowering Alaskans to benefit from the responsible development of the vast resources under their feet. 

###