BLM Announces Coastal Plain Gas And Oil Lease Sale; Reaction From Center For Bio Diversity (Updating)

From the @AlaskaBeacon: Just days before the Trump administration is set to open bids in the first oil and gas lease sales for federal territory in Arctic Alaska, critics were in court on trying to win injunctions to block some or all of the sale https://t.co/XT3o4A2ZNA pic.twitter.com/hDdueaL7jx

— Alaska's News Source (@AKNewsNow) March 16, 2026

Despite plenty of pushback, the Trump administration’s plan to “drill baby, drill” in Alaska continues with a oil and gas lease sale in the state’s Coastal Plain area set for June 5. Here’s the press release from the Bureau of Land Management:

BLM announces 2026 oil and gas lease sale in Alaska’s Coastal Plain

Apr 17, 2026

An aerial view of the coastal plain of Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The Bureau of Land Management will hold an oil and gas lease sale in Alaska’s Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge on June 5, 2026. This is the first lease sale for the 1.56-million-acre Coastal Plain under the Working Families Tax Cuts and is a milestone in unleashing Alaska’s vast energy potential.

The BLM is required to conduct at least four lease sales in the Coastal Plain by 2035, each offering at least 400,000 acres for bid. The sale aligns with Executive Order 14153 and Secretary’s Order 3422, both titled “Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential,” and reinforces the President’s commitment to responsible resource development.

“After three Acts of Congress and several successful lawsuits making it abundantly clear that oil and gas leasing in this area of Alaska is lawful, it is a great honor to once again announce another Coastal Plain lease sale,” said Department of the Interior Deputy Secretary Kate MacGregor. “President Trump has long supported Alaska’s important contribution to American energy dominance and Interior is proud to take the necessary and durable steps to unleash these important resources on behalf of the American people.”

“The record-breaking success of last month’s lease sale in Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve sent a clear signal: There is robust and continuing demand for Alaskan energy, underscoring the need for more opportunities like the Coastal Plain sale,” said Acting BLM Director Bill Groffy.  “By expanding these opportunities, we strengthen our national energy security, support high-paying jobs for Alaskans, and help ensure Americans have access to affordable energy.”

“Nearly 50 years ago, Congress saw the tremendous energy potential of the Coastal Plain and set it aside for potential development,” said BLM Alaska State Director Kevin Pendergast. “This lease sale marks a major milestone, as we continue the stable and lawful progress toward responsible development in the Coastal Plain.”

A sale notice will publish in Monday’s Federal Register. Sealed bids must be received at the BLM-Alaska State Office, ATTN: Wayne Svejnoha (AK932); 222 West 7th Avenue, #13; Anchorage, AK 99513-7504, by 4 p.m. AKDT on June 3, 2026. The Detailed Statement of Sale will be available on the BLM Alaska Oil and Gas Lease Sales webpage. The opening and reading of the bids will be streamed live at 10 a.m. AKDT on June 5, 2026, via the BLM Live Streaming webpage.

This notice is the next step in the leasing process for the Coastal Plain, following the February 3, 2026, Call for Nominations, which sought input on tracts to be offered for leasing.

While Congress has long recognized the high potential of the Coastal Plain, Congress first mandated development of an oil and gas leasing program for the area in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The first lease sale occurred in January 2021 and resulted in 11 leases with three companies. The second sale was scheduled for January 2025, but received no bids due to restrictions imposed on potential development at the time.

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The BLM manages about 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.

The Center for Biological Diversity released the following statement:

“Drilling in the Arctic Refuge won’t make gas cheaper at the pump, but it will despoil one of the most sacred and special wild landscapes left on the planet,” said Cooper Freeman, Alaska director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “To place bids on the Arctic Refuge would show that the oil industry has no limits to their greed and carelessness for the climate. Oil companies need to steer far clear of the refuge and let it remain a sanctuary for caribou, polar bears and the humans lucky enough to experience its solitude and grandeur.”

UPDATE: Here’s some more reaction:

“Here we go again. When Congress authorized drilling in the Arctic Refuge, we knew it was going to be a high-risk, low-reward prospect for taxpayers — and the reality has been even worse. The industry isn’t interested, the revenue promises are inflated, and taxpayers have far more to lose than gain,” said Autumn Hanna, Vice President of Taxpayers for Common Sense. “We’re being sold a bill of goods when it comes to drilling in remote places like the Refuge. It won’t help consumers facing higher gas prices, and if we keep trying to sweeten the pot to make these leases attractive to oil interests, we could saddle taxpayers with dangerous liabilities and the consequences of reckless development.”

“Selling out special places like the Arctic Refuge for oil and gas development is an insult to America’s sporting heritage,” said Land Tawney, Co-Chair of American Hunters & Anglers. “The Refuge is unlike anywhere else on this planet, offering world-class hunting and fishing opportunities. The next generation should have the chance to experience the awe and majesty of one of our last best wild places. Our leaders should do everything they can to safeguard American public lands, waters and wildlife—our birthright—for all of us. They belong to the many, not the few. The Arctic Refuge is the crown jewel of the national refuge system and we should treat it as such, not a giveaway to industry.”

“America’s public lands are a haven for U.S. service members, veterans, and our families. The Arctic Refuge should not be handed over to speculative, corporate interests under the guise of energy dominance and bolstering national security,” said Janessa Goldbeck, CEO of Vet Voice Foundation. “True security is built on long-term, resilient solutions, not cheap lease sales in remote wildlife refuges that take our country backward. Although this lease sale was mandated, companies should stay away – for the sake of our country’s lands, waters, and future generations.” 

“Every religion teaches the importance of caring for God’s creation. But our leaders are actively undoing environmental regulations and putting people in danger to sell off large swaths of the Arctic Refuge for oil and gas development,” said Rev. Andrew Black, Founder of Earth Keepers. “If we care about the world that we will leave for future generations, we must encourage our leaders and the corporations interested in developing in this region to rise above short-term interests and instead protect God’s creation from harm.”