In a letter sent Thursday, U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) demanded Interior Secretary Deb Haaland explain how her department is not violating the law when the Department of the Interior (DOI) canceled legally obtained oil and gas leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).
The competitive oil and gas leasing program in the non-wilderness Coastal Plain of ANWR was established in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. As required by the law, the first lease sale was held on January 6, 2021, and nine leases were issued.
On September 6, 2023, DOI, without statutory authority, announced that it was revoking the seven remaining leases.
In the letter, Sen. Sullivan says DOI has taken these actions unlawfully, without scientific backing, and without consulting with Alaska Native stakeholders in the region. Among other questions, the letter demands a written response from Secretary Haaland regarding how the decision to terminate the leases complies with Congress’ mandates to hold these lease sales and the budgetary impact of the cancellation.
Further, Sen. Sullivan’s letter cites emails obtained through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit, which show that even senior Biden administration officials were confused by the absence of legal authority to cancel the lawfully obtained leases.
The emails also indicate that DOI is working on a “new comprehensive analysis” of the program that won’t be completed before the end of this year and thus has no intention of holding the second ANWR lease sale by December 2024, as required by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
The text of the letter can be found below and viewed by clicking here.
