Trump Strips Environmental Protections From 13 Million Acres in Western Arctic

The Interior Department finalized repeal of a 2024 Biden rule that had protected 13.3 million acres in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska on November 14, 2025. The rollback, ordered by Interior Secretary Doug Burgess, opened Teshekpuk Lake and surrounding Special Areas to expanded oil and gas drilling. The 2024 rule had received over 250,000 public comments in favor of conservation.