A polar bear seen with cubs at Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in 2014, in North Slope, Alaska. | Photo credit should read Steven Kazlowski / Barcroft Medi via Getty Images
The Biden administration moved forward today with its plans to pause — and potentially halt — oil and gas drilling on the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The Department of the Interior (DOI) announced today that it suspended leases that the previous administration auctioned off to oil and gas developers just weeks before Donald Trump left office.
Today’s decision follows through on an executive order President Joe Biden made on the same day of his inauguration, which asked the Secretary of the Interior to put a temporary moratorium on all oil and gas activities in the refuge. Oil and gas leases will be suspended while the Interior Department conducts a new environmental review, according to a statement issued today. Based on that…
