In a decision that underscores the strength of Alaska’s permitting and environmental review process, a federal judge has upheld approval for ConocoPhillips’ Alaska oil exploration project—confirming that regulators did their homework and did it well.
ConocoPhillips Alaska Oil Surveys to Begin While Groups Litigate
Taylor Mills, Bloomberg, January 28, 2026
Federal approval for a ConocoPhillips Alaska oil exploration will remain in effect after a federal judge ruled the US Bureau of Land Management conducted a reasonably thorough environmental study.
The US District Court for the District of Alaska denied the tribal and environmental groups’ bid for a preliminary injunction to stop the company from drilling four test oil and gas wells in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, awarding the agency deference for mitigating impacts on the reserve.
BLM’s prohibitions on bulldozing tundra vegetation and limitations for off-road travel are sufficient under the Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act.
The Trump administration is escalating its efforts to bolster the domestic critical minerals industry, exploring every opportunity to increase mining activities in the U.S. – including off the coast of Alaska.
Feds mull first-ever seafloor mining in Alaskan waters
Hannah Northey, E & E News, January 28, 2026 (subscription required)
The Trump administration is considering allowing deep-sea mining in the waters off the coast of Alaska, sparking concerns about the fate of world class fisheries and fragile ecosystems.
The Bureau of Ocean Energy and Management, or BOEM, will begin gauging interest in a competitive mineral lease sale on Alaska’s outer continental shelf when a notice is published in the Federal Register on Thursday. The agency, according to a map posted online, is looking at large swaths of the Bering Sea, including the Aleutian Islands.
BOEM’s acting Director Matt Giacona said in a statement that Alaska’s offshore “holds strategic potential for the minerals that drive American industry, defense and next-generation technologies,” and that the request for information is “a practical first step to gauge interest and identify areas where development could make sense for jobs, investment and national supply chains.”
Supporting LNG should be a straightforward question in an energy-producing state. Yet when asked, some candidates managed to circle the issue without ever landing on a clear position.
Governor’s race survey: Should Alaska spend millions more on its huge LNG project? Plus, Alaska books.
Nat Herz, The Northern Journal, January 27, 2026
Many candidates say they’ll make the $40 billion-plus LNG project a priority.
We’re back with the next edition of our recurring survey of the more than a dozen candidates running to be Alaska’s next governor.
This week’s questions revolve around a huge — and hugely expensive — LNG export project pushed by Alaska’s current governor, Mike Dunleavy. We also asked for some book recommendations. Full questions and answers are below. Republican candidates Bernadette Wilson and Treg Taylor did not respond to the survey; Northern Journal sent multiple messages to each.