June 15, 2021 (Juneau, AK) – Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy today issued a statement on actions by a federal judge to halt implementation of the Biden Administration’s unlawful moratorium placed on oil and gas leasing until the litigation is completed.
“This is excellent news for Alaska. As we have seen in less than five months, the threat of federal overreach on major economic projects within Alaska is very real. It is stunning that a Federal Judge has to tell the President of the United States to stop trying to illegally shut down environmentally sound oil and gas development and good paying jobs for Americans and Alaskans – which support the indigenous tribes and residents of Alaska’s North Slope – while the President works to promote carbon emitting Russian gas production overseas. Alaska is consistently a top producer of oil and gas in the U.S. and we are proud of our state’s responsible development and transportation of oil to meet American demand.”
In January, President Joe Biden signed an executive order to shut down the federal oil and gas leasing program. In March, Governor Dunleavy joined 12 states in a lawsuit against the Biden Administration, stating “the State must be involved to protect the interests of all Alaskans in the responsible development of the bountiful natural resources contained within Alaska.”
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