A multiyear effort by the Trump administration to promote oil and gas exploration and production (E&P) on federal lands in Alaska continues to advance as his presidency winds to a close.

U.S. District Court Judge Sharon Gleason in Alaska ruled Tuesday that an oil and gas lease sale for tracts within the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) could proceed as scheduled on Wednesday (Jan. 6). Environmental and indigenous groups had sought to halt the process, citing an insufficient review process. Results of the sale are scheduled to be published Thursday in the Federal Register.

Meanwhile, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has finalized a new Integrated Activity Plan (IAP) to expand leasing in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A), the largest swath of federally...