“This action restores common-sense management and ensures responsible development benefits both Alaska and the nation.” Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum.
Interior Rescinds 2024 Rule on Alaska Petroleum Reserve, Unlocking Energy Potential
The Department of the Interior announced today a final rule rescinding the 2024 Bureau of Land Management rule governing the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska, a major step in unlocking the energy potential of the 23-million-acre reserve.
“By rescinding the 2024 rule, we are following the direction set by President Trump to unlock Alaska’s energy potential, create jobs for North Slope communities and strengthen American energy security,” said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. “This action restores common-sense management and ensures responsible development benefits both Alaska and the nation.”
Since 1923, the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska has been set aside as a petroleum reserve to support the nation’s energy security. By reversing the 2024 rule, the Department is taking action to strengthen American Energy Dominance and reduce reliance on foreign oil.
The final rule implements direction from President Donald J. Trump issued on his first day in office through Executive Order 14153 and responds to calls from Alaskans, including North Slope leaders, to restore the previous regulatory framework. The Department can now focus on expanding responsible development in the reserve to fuel Alaska’s economy, support national security and increase domestic energy production.
The Bureau of Land Management move forward with managing the reserve under new 2025 regulations that align with those originally established in 1977. Reversing the 2024 rule reduces regulatory burdens and positions the reserve to deliver full economic benefits for the nation and communities on the North Slope.
This action is part of a broader effort by Interior to modernize resource policy in Alaska. It complements recent withdrawals of three restrictive policy documents that had expanded special-area restrictions, reflecting the department’s commitment to responsible development while protecting the environment.
The final rule will publish in the Federal Register on November 17, 2025.
Paulson Advisers Brings New Energy To Donlin Gold
Donlin Leaders Say New Partner Brings New Energy to Project
Rindi White, Alaska Business, November 12, 2025
Donlin Gold saw a change in majority partners in June that mine leaders say has energized the development. Project leaders are working toward key infrastructure, such as a natural gas pipeline to an onsite power plant, leading to final investment decisions on one of the richest gold prospects in the world.
Barrick Bows Out
Ontario-based Barrick Mining announced in April it would sell the 50 percent share it held in the Donlin Gold project, located in the middle Kuskokwim River region on lands owned by The Kuskokwim Corporation and Calista Corporation.
Through the deal, which was finalized in June, the project’s other partner, NOVAGOLD Resources, acquired an additional 10 percent ownership, bringing its share from 50 to 60 percent. Paulson Advisers became the other primary owner, with 40 percent ownership interest. The Florida-based firm is led by billionaire John Paulson, who also owns shares of NOVAGOLD, and his family investment office holds other Alaska mining interests.
Alaska Influence Pipeline to track funding of anti-resource development campaigns in Alaska.
Watchdog Exposes Dark Money Networks Targeting Alaska’s Energy Future
Across Alaska, concern is growing over the influx of outside money reshaping our state’s political and economic landscape, but a new initiative is giving Alaskans the tools to see exactly how that influence works.
The American Accountability Foundation (AAF) has launched the Alaska Influence Pipeline, a first-of-its-kind database that reveals how national progressive funding networks are quietly targeting Alaska’s policies, elections, and resource industries. The launch comes as AAF also filed a formal complaint with the IRS against one the bigger cogs of that left leaning funding network that has been active in the state. “dark money behemoth”
The complaint accuses the “dark money behemoth” New Venture Fund (NVF), a central nonprofit in the Arabella Advisors network, of funneling more than $8.4 million to the law firm Sher Edling, which leads aggressive climate change lawsuits against oil and gas producers on behalf of Democratic-led states and cities. AAF’s complaint alleges that NVF used charitable funds to bankroll private, profit-driven litigation under the guise of “general operations,” a move that could violate federal tax law.
“NVF funneled over $8 million to Sher Edling’s radical climate lawsuits under the flimsy guise of ‘general operations,’” said AAF President Tom Jones in the Free Beacon.“If these slush fund schemes prove true, NVF’s nonprofit shield should be stripped and stiff penalties applied.”
That complaint hits close to home. The same network accused of bankrolling national lawsuits against energy producers has also poured millions into Alaska-based advocacy groups working to restrict development of the very industries those lawsuits target. The Alaska Influence Pipeline tracks millions of dollars flowing north from Washington, D.C., New York, and Silicon Valley into campaigns designed to influence everything from energy policy and ballot measures to election systems.
Local groups like The Alaska Center and the Alaska Venture Fund, both with ties to Arabella-linked donors, have pushed for policies such as 100 percent renewable energy by 2050, higher oil and gas taxes, and opposition to new infrastructure projects. Meanwhile, SalmonState, funded through the New Venture Fund, has lobbied against mining, road, and energy projects, often branding itself as a grassroots conservation group.
The Alaska Influence Pipeline brings together years of public grant data, campaign filings, and nonprofit disclosures, offering a clearer picture of how outside interests are working to reshape Alaska’s future. AAF says the site’s mission is simple: to help Alaskans follow the money and understand who is really calling the shots in a state where resource industries sustain families, communities, and the broader economy.
As Alaska faces critical decisions about energy, mining, and infrastructure, these layers of outside influence are no longer hidden. National progressive networks are using the same playbook here that they have deployed across the Lower 48, using stealth funding, pop-up nonprofits, and friendly branding to mask faraway priorities.
The Alaska Influence Pipeline is more than an exposé; it is a tool for accountability. For those who care about Alaska’s independence, jobs, and economic freedom, it is time to follow the money and take back ownership of our future.