"Donald Trump pushed through controversial oil leases in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as one of his last acts as president—but legal observers say the chance that oil development actually proceeds there is slim.

President Joe Biden has a menu of legal and administrative options at his disposal to curb drilling in the refuge, which is a vast environmentally sensitive region of northeast Alaska that for decades has been a battleground over oil and gas development.

Biden imposed a moratorium on leasing activities within the refuge going forward. But the oil and gas leases that the Trump administration issued on Tuesday remain in effect."

Bobby Magill reports for Bloomberg Environment January 21, 2021. [2]