US approves oil drilling in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska
US Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt has approved an oil and gas leasing program in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), opening up part of the 19.3-million-acre protected area in Alaska for the first time amid opposition from environmental groups.
“Congress directed us to hold lease sales in the ANWR Coastal Plain, and we have taken a significant step in meeting our obligations by determining where and under what conditions the oil and gas development program will occur,” Xinhua news agency quoted Bernhardt as saying in a statement on Monday.
“Our program meets the legal mandate that Coastal Plain leaseholders get the necessary rights-of-way, easements and land areas for production and support facilities they need to find and develop these important Arctic oil and gas resources,” he said.
