Trump Ends Biden’s Oil Drilling Restrictions In Bid To Lower Costs for Americans
The Trump administration on Thursday delivered a major victory for American energy production, formally scrapping the Biden-era restrictions that had blocked oil and gas development across a massive expanse of federal land in Alaska. The move represents one of President Donald J. Trump’s most sweeping policy reversals since returning to the White House — and a decisive rejection of the regulatory chokehold imposed during Joe Biden’s term.
At issue is the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPRA), a sprawling 23-million-acre region originally designated in 1923 as a strategic fuel reserve for the U.S. Navy. Despite its enormous energy potential, Democrats spent years working to wall off the area from development. Biden’s 2024 rule effectively locked up 10.6 million acres by banning new leases and placed additional restrictions on another 2 million — a decision that enraged Alaska officials, energy producers, and local Native communities who depend on responsible resource development.
The Trump administration officially ended that policy Thursday.
“By rescinding the 2024 rule, we are following the direction set by President Trump to unlock Alaska’s energy potential, create jobs for North Slope communities and strengthen American energy security,” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said. “This action restores common-sense management and ensures responsible development benefits for both Alaska and the nation.”
Officials said the final rule, announced in a press release, rescinds Biden’s restrictions across 13 million acres of the NPRA. The text is expected to be published in the Federal Register on Friday.
The rollback aligns squarely with President Trump’s broader mission to unshackle U.S. energy producers after years of steep regulatory decline. The President has repeatedly emphasized that American energy dominance — including access to reliable, affordable fossil fuels — is essential for national security, economic stability, and the country’s technological future.
Supporters say the decision will reinvigorate job creation, increase federal and state revenue, and help restore U.S. energy independence after Biden’s series of shutdowns and cancellations of critical oil, gas, and coal projects.
Voice of the Arctic Iñupiat, a major Alaska Native organization, applauded the measure, underscoring that drilling and production remain fundamental to the economic viability of North Slope communities. Oil and gas revenues fund healthcare, schools, public safety, and key infrastructure throughout the region — benefits many residents say Washington bureaucrats ignored when imposing blanket restrictions.
Democrats had justified their 2024 rule as a conservation measure, insisting large portions of the NPRA were too “sensitive” for industrial activity. But Alaska leaders and Republicans have long argued that modern extraction technologies can safely coexist with environmental stewardship while generating enormous value for both the region and the country.
The decision also draws renewed attention to the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS), a cornerstone of America’s energy network. Built after the discovery of the Prudhoe Bay oil fields, the 800-mile pipeline transports crude from the North Slope to the port of Valdez. Though throughput has declined since its 1980s peak, TAPS remains vital — supporting thousands of jobs and contributing heavily to state and local tax bases.
The pipeline’s unique design, including elevated sections across permafrost and rugged terrain, continues to stand as one of the most significant engineering achievements of the twentieth century.
Thursday’s rescission finalizes the Trump administration’s earlier proposal to overturn Biden’s rule, reopening millions of acres for potential leasing and future exploration. It is the latest in a rapid sequence of reversals targeting the Biden administration’s aggressive push toward “green” energy mandates.
During his term, Biden canceled pipeline expansions, shut down coal- and fuel-fired plants, and imposed sweeping restrictions on drilling — a strategy critics say crippled the nation’s ability to meet growing energy demands, including the massive power requirements of artificial intelligence systems and other emerging technologies.
President Trump has moved quickly to restore affordable, abundant domestic energy production, emphasizing that the United States cannot rely on foreign suppliers or unstable renewable systems while attempting to power a twenty-first-century economy.
With this latest announcement, one of the nation’s most resource-rich regions is once again open for development — and the administration is signaling that more pro-energy actions are on the way.