★ Government Action
Interior reopens 1.56-million-acre ANWR Coastal Plain to oil and gas leasing
Climate Policy RollbackFederal Lands GiveawaysFossil Fuel Deregulation
Filed October 2025
★ The Brief
What happened
On October 23, 2025, the Interior Department reopened the full 1.56-million-acre Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas leasing, reversing Biden-era limits, and restored seven cancelled leases to Alaska's state development authority, AIDEA.
Deal or steal?
Reopening the refuge hands an estimated 11.8 billion barrels to the oil industry that bankrolled Trump's return; five months later the same Interior Department auctioned Alaska's National Petroleum Reserve for a record $164 million, the second half of the same Alaska supply-side payoff.
On October 23, 2025, the Department of the Interior announced it would reopen the full 1.56-million-acre Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to oil and gas leasing, reversing Biden-era restrictions on drilling in the refuge. The Coastal Plain is estimated to contain up to 11.8 billion barrels of recoverable oil. Interior also announced it would restore seven oil and gas leases to the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA), a state agency that had been the principal bidder at the first ANWR lease sale during Trump's first administration; the Biden administration cancelled those leases in 2023, and a federal judge ruled earlier in 2025 that the cancellation exceeded the government's authority. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum framed the action as carrying out a Trump day-one directive to expand Alaska energy production.
Actors
Who pushed it · 4Who initiated, paid, or pushed the action.
Donald TrumpDirected the Interior Department from day one of his second administration to "unlock Alaska's energy and resource potential," per Burgum's statement framing the reopening.
- Doug Burgum
As Interior Secretary, announced the reopening of the full 1.56-million-acre ANWR Coastal Plain to leasing and the restoration of AIDEA's cancelled leases.
- Mike Dunleavy
Alaska Governor; publicly advocated for reopening ANWR to drilling and praised the announcement as "historic for Alaska."
- Department of the Interior
Issued the policy announcement reopening the ANWR Coastal Plain to oil and gas leasing and restoring the seven AIDEA leases that the prior administration had cancelled.
Beneficiaries
Who gained · 1Who stood to gain.
- Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority
Recovered seven Coastal Plain oil and gas leases originally granted in 2021 and cancelled by the Biden administration in 2023; AIDEA was among the few bidders at the first ANWR lease auction.
Sector-wide beneficiaries
- Fossil Fuels
Reopens up to 1.56 million acres of the ANWR Coastal Plain — estimated to hold up to 11.8 billion barrels of recoverable oil — to leasing across the U.S. oil and gas industry.
Sector-aligned organizations that have paid into Trump’s orbit:
Individuals from these organizations who have personally paid into Trump’s orbit:
Further reading
- ★ Government ActionMarch 2026Trump's Interior Department generates record $164M from Alaska oil lease sale
- ★ Government ActionFebruary 2025Trump creates National Energy Dominance Council chaired by Burgum
- ★ Government ActionJanuary 2025Trump order ends EV mandates and state emissions waivers
- ★ Government ActionJanuary 2025Trump order directs agencies to rescind energy-burdening regulations
- ★ Government ActionJanuary 2025Trump revokes twelve Biden climate and environmental orders
- ★ Government ActionOctober 2025Trump approves Ambler Road across Alaska wilderness for critical-minerals access