Trump administration moves to fast-track oil drilling approvals in Alaska

The Trump administration announced on Friday that it was proposing to fast track approvals for oil drilling projects in Alaska after a request from a trade group to do so.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) issued a proposal that would seek to quickly approve oil and gas drilling in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPRA).

In 1923, then-President Warren G. Harding set aside the reserve as an emergency oil supply for the Navy. Since that time, drilling projects have been approved there , but environmental advocates have also raised concerns about impacts to wildlife .

In its proposal, the BLM said it would consolidate multiple approval procedures into a single review and set timelines that it hopes will “expedite” project approvals.

It said that the agency would have to approve some rights-of-way or drilling permit applications within 60 days.

It said that its move came in response to a petition from the Alaska Oil and Gas Association, a trade group representing oil and gas companies operating in the state.

That petition called for a “uniform and efficient process to approve production projects similar to those that have already been approved” in the reserve. The trade group’s request also included the 60-day approval timeline.

“Responsible development shouldn’t be held back by redundant paperwork,” BLM director Steve Pearce in a written statement.

“This is about working smarter, honoring the Trump administration’s commitment to energy security, and ensuring Alaskans directly benefit from the resources in their backyard,” he added.