This decision aligns with the promises made by the Trump administration and Republicans in Congress to resume resource development in the reserve. The tax incentive law passed in the summer includes a plan to conduct at least four lease auctions over the next decade.
In March of this year, a federal court ruled that the Joe Biden administration had no legal grounds to annul previously signed lease agreements made at the end of Trump's first term.
This decision has become a source of controversy among the indigenous peoples of the region. Kuchi leaders oppose drilling, emphasizing the spiritual significance of the area and its role in the migration of caribou, which are central to their traditional way of life. At the same time, representatives of the Inupiat community of Kaktovik, located within the reserve, support the project, viewing it as important for the region's economic growth.
