Latest Breaking News

OKIsItJustMe

(22,282 posts) Fri Jun 5, 2026, 01:03 PM Friday

Trump administration to auction oil drilling rights in Alaska wildlife refuge

Source: Reuters

June 5, 2026 7:05 AM EDT

Summary

U.S. will auction 689,000 acres of oil and gas leases in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Industry interest uncertain after previous ANWR lease sales attracted few or no bids
Supporters cite jobs and energy security, while critics warn of environmental damage and risks to Indigenous communities' way of life

June 5 (Reuters) - The Trump administration on Friday will hold a sale of oil and gas leases on 689,000 acres (278,828 ‌hectares) in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, a remote and pristine habitat for species including polar bear, caribou and migratory birds.

The auction is the latest test of industry appetite for drilling in northern Alaska, a high risk endeavor involving decades of work and billions of dollars of investment.

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management, an arm of the Department of the Interior, offered 60 tracts in the refuge for auction to oil and gas drillers. Companies were required to submit bids by June 3, and they will be opened and read via a livestream ⁠on Friday at 10:00 a.m. (1800 GMT).

…

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/trump-administration-auction-oil-drilling-rights-alaska-wildlife-refuge-2026-06-05/

10 replies

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Highlight:

Trump administration to auction oil drilling rights in Alaska wildlife refuge (Original Post) OKIsItJustMe Friday OP

Did anyone watch "The Americas" last night on NBC narrated by Tom Hanks? Diamond_Dog Friday #1

Are there roads leading into the refuge? Scalded Nun Friday #2

Currently no roads in ANWR OKIsItJustMe Friday #3

There is nothing sacred to this man, Bayard Friday #4

I could not despise anyone more than I despise this pile of toxic waste. nt City Lights Friday #5

Seconded! hamsterjill Friday #7

If you win the auction, are you required to drill? eggplant Friday #6

We, the govt, sent an activist to jail for doing that Easterncedar Friday #8

Ridiculous that this is even happening. It seems impossible to permanently protect ANWR under American Karasu Friday #9

they cant drill if the arctic melts. mopinko Friday #10

Diamond_Dog

(41,302 posts)

1. Did anyone watch "The Americas" last night on NBC narrated by Tom Hanks?

Reply to OKIsItJustMe (Original post)

Fri Jun 5, 2026, 01:15 PM

Friday

I would be sickening to me to see the beautiful Alaska Wildlife Refuge damaged by oil drilling. I hope the oil companies don’t bite.

Scalded Nun

(1,741 posts)

2. Are there roads leading into the refuge?

Reply to OKIsItJustMe (Original post)

Fri Jun 5, 2026, 01:33 PM

Friday

I do not think the state can do much about the drilling, but can they restrict road use (max weight, width, etc.) to stop all the equipment coming in by surface? They'd have to air-delivery everything...or make the feds build roads. Time and money. By the time the roads are done sanity may have returned to this country.

OKIsItJustMe

(22,282 posts)

3. Currently no roads in ANWR

Reply to Scalded Nun (Reply #2)

Fri Jun 5, 2026, 02:12 PM

Friday

https://wsau.com/2026/06/05/trump-administration-to-auction-oil-drilling-rights-in-alaska-wildlife-refuge/

Trump administration to auction oil drilling rights in Alaska wildlife refuge

By Thomson Reuters
Jun 5, 2026 | 6:06 AM

June 5 (Reuters) – The Trump administration on Friday will hold a sale of oil and gas leases on 689,000 acres (278,828 hectares) in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, a remote and pristine habitat for species including polar bear, caribou and migratory birds.

…

Unlike the National Petroleum Reserve, which is adjacent to ANWR on Alaska’s North Slope, the 19-million-acre wildlife refuge has no roads, ⁠facilities or other infrastructure.

…

Bayard

(30,472 posts)

4. There is nothing sacred to this man,

Reply to OKIsItJustMe (Original post)

Fri Jun 5, 2026, 02:20 PM

Friday

Besides accumulating wealth. STOP DESTROYING THIS COUNTRY!!

City Lights

(26,094 posts)

5. I could not despise anyone more than I despise this pile of toxic waste. nt

Reply to OKIsItJustMe (Original post)

Fri Jun 5, 2026, 02:43 PM

Friday

hamsterjill

(17,874 posts)

7. Seconded!

Reply to City Lights (Reply #5)

Fri Jun 5, 2026, 03:47 PM

Friday

In fact, I was just telling someone that very same thing earlier this morning. I hate that bastard!

eggplant

(4,240 posts)

6. If you win the auction, are you required to drill?

Reply to OKIsItJustMe (Original post)

Fri Jun 5, 2026, 03:35 PM

Friday

Maybe an environmental nonprofit could buy up the leases. My understanding is that nobody wants to drill in ANWR anyway because of the upfront costs and lack of a guarantee that they could continue in future administrations.

Easterncedar

(6,560 posts)

8. We, the govt, sent an activist to jail for doing that

Reply to eggplant (Reply #6)

Fri Jun 5, 2026, 04:24 PM

Friday

A fact that still makes me sick at heart. Tim DeChristopher didn't actually pay for the lease, but was arrested for disrupting the auction. He served almost 2 years.

Karasu

(2,195 posts)

9. Ridiculous that this is even happening. It seems impossible to permanently protect ANWR under American

Reply to OKIsItJustMe (Original post)

Fri Jun 5, 2026, 05:12 PM

Friday

law.

mopinko

(74,108 posts)

10. they cant drill if the arctic melts.

Reply to OKIsItJustMe (Original post)

Fri Jun 5, 2026, 05:44 PM

Friday

that’s y the last try failed. drilling up there requires ice roads. if anyone knows that it’s all gonna melt, it’s the guys who melted it.

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