The Trump administration has announced several measures aimed at expanding Alaska’s energy resources and improving public health and safety. In response, House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) stated, “Alaska’s extraordinary resource potential and its role in supporting American energy and mineral dominance cannot be understated. I applaud President Trump and Secretary Burgum for taking actions to unlock Alaska’s resources and support Alaska Native communities. By approving permits and land exchanges and overturning policies from the previous administration that locked up lands, the Trump administration’s moves will generate economic opportunity and create good-paying jobs across the state.”
According to information released today, the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) announced a series of decisions affecting public lands and resource development in Alaska. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Land Management, and National Park Service have reissued right-of-way permits for the Ambler Access Road after an instruction from President Trump on October 6, 2025. The proposed 211-mile road would connect the Dalton Highway to the Ambler Mining District, which is known for its significant deposits of copper, gallium, germanium, and cobalt.
Additionally, DOI has issued a new Record of Decision for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program. This decision aims to include local perspectives while opening millions of acres for oil and gas production under responsible management practices. The area is estimated to contain as much as 11 billion barrels of oil.
The Department also approved a land exchange between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and King Cove Corporation (KCC). This move is intended to enable a road corridor that could enhance safety, public health, and quality of life in rural parts of Alaska.
Furthermore, under the Alaska Native Vietnam Veterans Land Allotment Program, DOI has awarded 160-acre federal land allotments to three Alaska Native veterans who missed earlier opportunities due to their military service during the Vietnam War.
