Trump Administration Bulldozes Biden’s Alaska Wildlife Protections For Oil Drillers

The Trump administration just handed Alaska’s wildlife a raw deal. Executive orders flew out the door faster than caribou fleeing an oil rig, reversing Biden-era protections across millions of acres. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge? Open for drilling. The National Petroleum Reserve? Come on in, oil companies. That ban on bear baiting? Gone, because nothing says conservation like luring bears with donuts before shooting them.

Governor Mike Dunleavy got his Christmas wish list fulfilled early. Trump approved a 211-mile road slicing through protected wilderness to reach mineral deposits. The Tongass National Forest’s roadless rule faces the chopping block too. Apparently, pristine old-growth forests need more logging roads.

Trump approved a 211-mile road slicing through protected wilderness to reach mineral deposits

These policy reversals affect staggering amounts of land. The North Slope wilderness, including the nation’s largest public land reserve, welcomes back drilling rigs and mining operations. The Interior Department switched priorities overnight – resource extraction trumps conservation now. The DOI announced plans to repeal protections for millions of acres specifically aimed at limiting oil and gas development in ecologically critical Special Areas.

Never mind that the last Arctic Refuge lease sale flopped harder than a salmon on dry land, generating minimal industry interest. Wildlife doesn’t vote, so who cares about caribou migration routes or polar bear dens? The Porcupine caribou herd migrates directly through areas now targeted for intensive drilling. Migratory birds depending on undisturbed habitats will need to find new vacation spots.

The administration tweaked definitions of “harm” to endangered species, because bureaucratic wordplay solves everything. Alaska Native communities watch their traditional food sources vanish. Subsistence hunting and fishing become tougher when industrial operations scare away wildlife. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum claims the Biden administration overreached in establishing these environmental safeguards.

Tribal organizations complained about zero consultation before these sweeping changes. Their concerns fell on deaf ears in Washington. Climate implications? Alaska warms twice as fast as everywhere else, but let’s drill anyway.

Melting permafrost plus oil extraction equals ground instability and infrastructure damage. The $77 billion in annual health damages from oil and gas production apparently doesn’t register on anyone’s radar. Conservation groups scramble to respond while ecosystems face mounting threats.

Traditional food webs risk collapse. Public health takes a backseat to profit margins. The Trump administration’s message rings clear: Alaska’s wilderness exists for exploitation, not preservation. Wildlife and communities living there will simply have to adapt or disappear.