On Tuesday, the Biden administration disclosed plans to safeguard 28 million acres of Alaskan public lands, overturning the Trump administration’s previous push to open these areas to industrial development. This move blocks activities such as mining and oil and gas extraction, maintaining the lands’ environmental and cultural integrity.
The administration’s decision, anticipated since earlier this year, counters the Trump administration’s last-minute directives aimed at facilitating industry access to these regions. The Biden administration criticized the previous approach as “unlawful,” arguing it failed to account for environmental impacts and the concerns of tribal communities.
Biden administration’s move aims to safeguard caribou habitats and Bristol Bay salmon areas from development
Interior Secretary Deb Haaland emphasized that tribal consultations should be a mandatory part of federal decision-making, especially when decisions could impact Indigenous communities. She highlighted the importance of maintaining these protections to ensure that public lands continue to serve their ecological and cultural roles now and in the future.
Haaland’s announcement noted that permitting development would adversely affect tribal fishing, hunting, and other essential activities, with between 31,000 and 52,000 people depending on these lands for drinking water, food security, and cultural practices. The preservation effort also aims to protect caribou habitats and Bristol Bay, a crucial salmon habitat.
The administration’s assessment indicated that keeping these lands undisturbed could prevent environmental risks such as river contamination and protect bird populations and their habitats.
Environmental groups lauded the decision. Dan Ritzman from the Sierra Club’s Conservation Campaign praised the move, calling the lands “unparalleled” for their natural beauty and crucial wildlife habitat. He described the 28 million acres as some of the last pristine wildlands in the U.S.
This action affects roughly one-thirteenth of Alaska’s total land area, which encompasses approximately 365 million acres.
