California Attorney General Rob Bonta, along with attorneys general from Illinois, Minnesota, Vermont, and Washington, has submitted a comment letter to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) opposing a proposed rule that would rescind protections for the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A). The coalition argues that removing these safeguards would open large portions of the reserve to oil and gas development and weaken environmental protections.
“Instead of protecting these fragile ecosystems that wildlife and communities depend on, the Trump Administration is turning these areas into cash-grabs for its Big Oil friends,” said Attorney General Bonta. “The federal government must reverse course on this rule immediately.”
The proposed rule follows an executive order issued by President Trump on his first day in office, which declared a “national energy emergency” under the National Emergencies Act. In response, BLM proposed opening about 82 percent of the 23-million-acre NPR-A to oil and gas leasing. This move would reverse previous Biden-era policies that had designated nearly 13 million acres as “Special Areas” off-limits to drilling.
According to the coalition’s letter, allowing more drilling in NPR-A could lead to increased carbon emissions and greater risks of oil spills. The region supports migratory wildlife, including species that pass through or overwinter in California. The letter also notes potential impacts on Native communities who rely on these lands for cultural traditions.
The attorneys general contend that expanding oil development threatens resident and migratory wildlife populations, raises greenhouse gas emissions, and violates requirements set by the National Environmental Policy Act.
A copy of the comment letter is available online.
