"Alaska Native leaders are fuming at Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, saying she has ignored or rejected at least eight of their invitations for in-person meetings about the administration’s energy policies impacting their communities.

North Slope elected Iñupiat leaders spoke on Capitol Hill on Wednesday at a press conference alongside Alaska senators, where they accused the Biden administration of shirking its duties to consult with the tribes of Alaska’s North Slope.

The Alaska Native leaders said the Biden administration is refusing to meaningfully engage with them on what the Alaskans view as flawed oil and gas policies in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A) and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). They’re concerned that the public comment periods for the Biden administration’s policies are too short, and they want more time to provide their input."

Robin Bravender and Heather Richards report for E&E News November 8, 2023. [2]