Statehood Win: 2M Acres Now Open for Alaska's Energy Boom

One more federal roadblock to the development of Alaska's mineral and energy resources has been swept aside. The Secretary of the Interior, Doug Burgum, has signed a land order revoking two key federal land withdrawals that were standing in the way of the Ambler Road and the Alaska LNG pipeline.

America's treasure chest just opened a little wider.

The U.S. Department of the Interior has issued Public Land Order No. 7966, revoking two longstanding federal land withdrawals covering roughly 2.1 million acres along the Dalton Highway north of the Yukon River and clearing the way for Alaska to select the lands under its remaining statehood entitlement.
The action removes federal restrictions that had limited state selection of lands within the Dalton Highway corridor – an area viewed as strategically important for future energy and mineral infrastructure, including the proposed Alaska LNG pipeline and the Ambler Access Project.
"By opening these lands, we are empowering Alaska to chart its own course and develop energy, minerals, and infrastructure that strengthen America's security and prosperity," Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said during the Feb. 20 announcement of the lifting of the land order.
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy described the revocation of the public land orders as a milestone for state self-determination.
"Alaskans know what's best for Alaska, and revoking these PLOs will empower Alaska to chart our own future on these lands," he said.

The LNG pipeline will carry liquified natural gas (LNG) from the North Slope fields to the Nikiski terminal on the Kenai Peninsula. The Ambler Road will improve access to the mineral-rich Ambler Mining District by running a road from the Dalton Highway near Coldfoot (an aptly named place if there ever was one) to the site.

Bear in mind that what Alaska calls a "highway" is often two lanes of gravel and dirt road. That's all right. We kind of like it that way.

What's great about this is that the Trump administration, rather than treating the Great Land as a huge national park, as previous administrations have done, is turning Alaskan land over to Alaskan control.

In addition to transferring lands key to minerals and energy infrastructure, the land order clears a path for Alaska to receive all of the nearly 105 (million) acres of land it is entitled to under the Alaska Statehood Act.
To date, the federal government has transferred about 100 million acres to Alaska, leaving roughly 5.2 million acres unconveyed. A portion of that remaining entitlement includes the 2.1 million acres that Alaska had applied to select along the Dalton Highway corridor but could not receive due to the federal withdrawals.
"Today's revocation is a major step forward for Alaskans to realize the promise the federal government made to us more than 60 years ago – a statehood land entitlement for Alaska to develop its resources and support its residents," said John Crowther, who has been selected to serve as the new Alaska Department of Natural Resources commissioner.

No, we're not tired of winning yet.

Alaska's Ambler Mining Road Now a Go: New Study Showing Minimal Impact on Caribou Range

Environmentalists, many of whom rarely see the actual environment and even fewer of whom have ever been to Alaska, much less in that wide-open country north of the Yukon River, will bemoan this as destructive. Horse squeeze. Alaska is a vast, vast place; there is plenty of room for energy and mineral development and beautiful, scenic lands, both at once. If there's anyplace in the United States where we can have our environmental cake and eat it too, it's Alaska.

Stay tuned, because this business is just getting started.

Editor's Note: With President Trump back in the White House, the state of our Union is strong once again.

Support RedState’s coverage of the president's State of the Union Address and help us report the truth the radical Left doesn't want you to hear. Join RedState VIP and use promo code POTUS47 to get 74% off your VIP membership.