Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R-AK) on Friday praised the Trump administration for opening over two million acres of Alaska land for oil, gas, and critical mineral development.
The governor hailed Interior Secretary Doug Burgum’s move to revoke Public Land Orders 5150 and 5180 as “a milestone for Alaska’s self-determination.” Dunleavy and other Republicans said the move would advance the long-pursued Alaska LNG pipeline project and the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. The Trump administration wrapped up a more than 10-year permitting process for the 800-mile LNG natural gas pipeline last December.
“I want to thank President [Donald] Trump and Secretary Burgum for continuing to deliver on promises, even those promises made decades ago. Alaskans know what’s best for Alaska, and revoking these Public Land Orders will empower Alaska to chart our own future on these lands,” Dunleavy said.
The revocation followed supports Trump’s executive order on “unleashing American Energy,” which pushed Burgum and other officials to expand domestic energy and mineral production.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) said the “obsolete” PLOs had kept millions of acres of land locked up as “de facto” conservation areas for decades, restricting statehood land selections and resource development, and giving the federal government “a toehold to delay or reject important projects.”
