{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://begich.house.gov/media/press-releases/delegation-commends-secretary-burgums-announcements-npr-coastal-plain-and-plos", "Delegation Commends Secretary Burgum\u2019s Announcements on NPR-A, Coastal Plain, and PLOs", "2025-03-20", "2025", "2025-03", "Republican", "House", "AK", "Nicholas J. Begich III", "B001323", "begich.house.gov", "begich", "https://begich.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "ANCHORAGE, AK \u2013 March 20, 2025 \u2013 U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan and U.S. Representative Nick Begich (all R-Alaska) today commended Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum for announcing three initial decisions that will restore access to federal lands, facilitate long-overdue land conveyances, and boost responsible resource production in Alaska.\n\nThe decisions further President Trump\u2019s recent Executive Order on Unleashing Alaska\u2019s Extraordinary Resource Potential. Through them, Secretary Burgum has directed his agencies to follow the law and restore access to federal lands in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A) and the non-wilderness Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. He has also directed agencies to begin lifting a decades-obsolete Public Land Order (PLO 5150) that has been used to hinder major resource development projects in the state.\n\n\u201cThis is wonderful news for Alaska. Secretary Burgum recognizes Alaska\u2019s incredible resource potential and the increasingly onerous restrictions that have been put in place\u2014over our objections\u2014to stop us from responsibly producing and reaching our full potential as a state. He recognizes our petroleum reserve as a petroleum reserve, the Coastal Plain as our nation\u2019s most prospective source for conventional oil and gas, and the need to move forward on both the Ambler Road and AKLNG,\u201d Senator Murkowski said. \u201cThese are the first steps to restoring reasonable access to our federal lands and the federal government fulfilling the terms of our statehood compact from nearly 70 years ago\u2014all achieved by simply partnering with Alaskans and following the law. I thank President Trump and Secretary Burgum for working with us to put Alaska back where it belongs\u2014not just on the map, but right at the heart of our nation\u2019s resource policies.\u201d\n\n\u201cDOI\u2019s announcement today\u2014which implements key elements of President Trump\u2019s day-one executive order to unleash Alaska\u2019s extraordinary resource potential\u2014is great news for our state and once again, proves that we have a partner in progress in this administration,\u201d said Senator Sullivan. \u201cAs the incoming Trump administration was crafting the Alaska EO, Governor Dunleavy and I worked directly with them to make sure these three vital provisions were included. Opening the ANWR Coastal Plain and the NPR-A to responsible resource development has been a longtime goal for Alaska's congressional delegation, Republican presidential administrations, and leaders in Alaska. Additionally, DOI\u2019s order today lifts land withdrawals along the Dalton Highway Corridor, which contains the lifeblood of Alaska\u2014the Trans-Alaska Pipeline\u2014and allows those lands to be conveyed to the State of Alaska, securing this vital artery for future resource development, including access to the Ambler Mining District and the right-of-way for a future Alaska LNG pipeline. I want to thank President Trump and DOI Secretary Burgum for fulfilling their commitment to unleash our state and help us realize a future of wealth, sustainable private sector economic growth, and good-paying jobs for our working families.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Department of the Interior\u2019s decision is a major step toward securing Alaska\u2019s place at the forefront of America\u2019s energy future. By opening access to the National Petroleum Reserve, ANWR, and critical infrastructure corridors, we are reaffirming that Alaska\u2019s vast resources should be developed to benefit both our state and the entire nation. Now is the time to deliver affordable, reliable energy to households and businesses in Alaska and beyond. I will continue working with the Alaska delegation to lead efforts in Congress to codify these actions - ensuring that no future administration can stall the progress that is vital to Alaska\u2019s prosperity,\u201d said Congressman Begich.\n\nInterior describes Secretary Burgum\u2019s decision memos as follows:\n\n\u201cReopening up to 82% of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska available to leasing and expanding energy development opportunities in the approximately 23-million-acre reserve. This plan would balance the Secretary's responsibilities to provide for oil and gas leasing, exploration, and development consistent with the energy needs of the nation and protect important surface resources in the reserve.\u201d\n\n\u201cReinstating a program that makes the entire 1.56-million-acre Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge available for oil and gas leasing. This program would fulfill Congress' intent in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and advance American Energy Dominance, while maintaining strong protections for important surface resources and uses in the Coastal Plain.\u201d\n\n\u201cRevoking withdrawals along the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Corridor and Dalton Highway north of the Yukon River in order to convey these lands to State of Alaska. This action would help pave the way forward for the proposed Ambler Road and the Alaska Liquified Natural Gas Pipeline project, two projects that stand to increase job opportunities and encourage Alaska\u2019s economic growth.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T00:15:27Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://begich.house.gov/media/press-releases/delegation-commends-secretary-burgums-announcements-npr-coastal-plain-and-plos"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.1109982151538134, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}