BLM Leans Towards Opening Up ANWR for Drilling

On September 12, 2019, BLM published a final environmental impact statement (EIS) on the implementation of an oil and gas leasing program within the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The final EIS identifies the “preferred” leasing program as one that would place the entire Coastal Plain area, approximately 1.5 million acres, under federal control and available for oil and gas leasing.