The U.S. Senate held a vote, resulting in 52 senators supporting the lifting of the ban on oil and gas drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska, while 45 voted against, TASS reports.
This decision nullifies measures introduced by the administration of former President Joe Biden and opens new opportunities for the implementation of energy projects in one of the largest reserves in the country. The document must now be reviewed by the House of Representatives of the U.S. Congress.
In January of this year, new President Donald Trump announced that his administration intends to allow mining of minerals in protected areas of Alaska, stating that the region's resources could "meet the energy needs of all of Asia."
After negotiations with Chinese President Xi Jinping on October 30, Trump announced China's readiness to purchase oil and gas "from the great state of Alaska." A meeting is scheduled in the coming days to discuss the details of a potential agreement.
