One of the Trump administration’s biggest energy initiatives suffered a stunning setback Wednesday, as a decades-long push to drill for oil in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge ended with a lease sale that attracted just three bidders — one of which was the state of Alaska itself.
Alaska's Energy Desk
Here’s what you need to know about the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge’s first-ever oil lease sale
The sale, scheduled for Wednesday, would be a controversial milestone in a 40-year battle over whether to drill for oil in a part of the refuge called the coastal plain. So, how did we get here after such a long debate? And, what will happen next?
Federal judge could rule as soon as Tuesday on request to halt oil leasing in Arctic refuge
A federal judge in Anchorage says she could rule as soon as Tuesday on a request by environmental groups to block the Trump administration from carrying out the first-ever lease sale in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Federal judge will weigh request to block oil leasing in Arctic refuge
With the first-ever oil lease sale in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge just two days away, a federal judge in Anchorage will consider a request Monday to stop the Trump administration from issuing the oil leases.
Alaska’s state development corporation approved to spend up to $20M on ANWR oil leases
It’s a controversial move, and a way for the state to secure drilling rights in the coastal plain in case no one else bids on the leases.
The lease sale is set, but how much oil actually is under ANWR’s coastal plain?
While geologists say the rock formations, oil seeps and old seismic results seem promising, big questions remain about where the oil is trapped, and exactly how much of it there is.