Oil, Gas Drilling Blocked In Alaska Wilds As Biden Seeks Green Cred

Washington, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Apr, 2024) The United States on Friday blocked oil, gas and mining operations across tracts of unspoiled wilderness in Alaska, winning praise from environmentalists for safeguarding habitat for polar bears, caribou and other Arctic species.

More than 13 million acres (5.2 million hectares) will come under new Federal protection, while a permit to build a major road to access mineral deposits was denied in moves that angered industry bodies and some locals.

"Alaska's majestic and rugged lands and waters are among the most remarkable and healthy landscapes in the world," President Joe Biden said. "These natural wonders demand our protection."

But the state's lawmakers in Washington slammed the measures, forming a bipartisan front to say they would fight to overturn them.

"The Biden administration may be focused on short-term political gains, but at the expense of Alaska's long-term future," Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski said, citing future jobs and national energy security.

Democratic Representative Mary Sattler Peltola said that the announcement failed to strike a balance between the need for gas and oil "and legitimate environmental concerns."

Ahead of the US presidential election in November, Biden is seeking to shore up his green credentials, which were damaged by a decision last year to green-light a project by US energy giant ConocoPhillips in Alaska.

The Willow project, estimated to cost between $8-10 billion, was authorized under former president Donald Trump and later backed by Biden, triggering national protests by activists.