Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy says expanding oil and gas drilling means more than improving the state’s economy — it’s also about delivering on the state’s promise.
Dunleavy, a Republican who was first elected governor in 2018, said resource development was one of the main reasons the United States purchased the Alaskan territory for $7.2 million in 1867.
But developing those resources has proved a challenge in recent decades, with Democratic Presidents Jimmy Carter and Joe Biden among those championing laws and signing executive orders barring oil and gas production in parts of the state to protect the wilderness and sensitive environment.
That changed Jan. 20, when President Donald Trump took office and signed an executive order opening up much of Alaska’s federal lands to oil and gas leasing, among other things. Dunleavy said the order gives Alaska more power over its economy and destiny, while critics have raised concerns about potential damage to the environment.
