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Biden blocks new oil and natural gas leases in key Alaskan region
This Interior Department on Friday morning imposed major new limits on resource development in fragile northern Alaska ecosystems. Why it matters: They come as President Biden appeals to green-focused voters in his tough reelection campaign. Driving the news: Interior unveiled final plans to protect over 13 million acres in the 23 million acre National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, with an outright ban on new oil and gas leases on 10.6 million acres. • Those limits span roughly half the massive Arctic expanse, where big hydrocarbon deposits underlie sensitive wildlife habitat. • The NPR-A is where Biden has allowed a ... (full story)