On November 17, 2025, the Department of the Interior issued a Final Rule (90 Fed. Reg. 51470) rescinding and replacing a 2024 Rule (89 Fed. Reg. 38712). The 2024 Rule previously established new standards for protecting surface resources from the adverse effects of oil and gas activities in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska. The 2024 Rule was promulgated in part because of the impacts of climate change. The new 2025 Final Rule rescinds the 2024 Rule and replaces it with earlier regulatory language, noting that the 2024 Rule improperly prioritized the protection of surface resources over leasing. The 2025 Final Rule instead emphasizes the mandate of the Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act of 1976 to "implement an expeditious program of competitive leasing" as the main priority.
The DOI first announced the Final Rule on November 13, 2025.