Biden cancels oil and gas leases in Alaska’s Arctic Refuge

The leases were on over 13 million acres and had been in place since 2017. Alaskan Gov. Mike Dunleavy said the Biden administration may only cancel leases if the companies in question violated regulations, which he says didn’t happen. In a statement released yesterday, President Joe Biden said the lease cancellations will help preserve the region for future generations amid climate change.

Are there any oil and gas refineries left in Alaska? Yes, there are still operating refineries in the state. In March, Biden approved the Willow Project, an extensive plan to drill in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska.

Dig deeper: Read Carolina Lumetta’s report in The Stew about the Willow oil project.