US preparing to ease environmental reviews for Alaska oil and gas drilling

Aug 26 (Reuters) – The U.S. Interior Department is preparing to ease environmental review requirements for some oil and gas exploration activities in Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve as ​part of the Trump administration’s push to speed ‌energy development in the Arctic, an Interior spokesperson said on Wednesday.

• The agency is working on a proposed “categorical exclusion” that would accelerate permitting for winter oil and gas exploration activities, including seismic surveys and exploratory drilling ‌operations ​in the reserve, the spokesperson said in ⁠an emailed statement.

• The ⁠proposal would be based on findings from dozens of prior environmental reviews showing that winter exploration activities conducted under established operating procedures and mitigation measures have no significant impacts, ​the spokesperson said.

• “These efforts are about using decades of experience and analysis to create a more efficient, predictable, and ⁠effective process while upholding environmental standards,” ⁠the spokesperson said.

• Energy Secretary Chris Wright is ​expected to travel to Alaska this week as administration officials continue ​promoting energy development in the state. A proposed LNG ‌terminal in the state that is a high priority for Trump has recently encountered setbacks, including a stalled bill in the state legislature that would have offered support for the project.

• ⁠The move by Interior was first reported by High Country News, which said the proposed categorical exclusion could allow winter exploration and ⁠drilling activities in ‌the reserve to proceed without project-specific environmental ⁠review under the National Environmental Policy Act.

• The ​National ‌Petroleum Reserve-Alaska is a roughly 23-million-acre area on ​Alaska’s North ⁠Slope that is a focus of the Trump administration’s efforts to boost domestic oil and gas production.

• Environmental groups have criticized efforts to streamline Arctic drilling approvals, arguing they could weaken protections for wildlife and sensitive tundra ecosystems.

(Reporting by Nichola Groom; Editing ​by Daniel Wallis)