Regulatory Tracker Arctic National Wildlife Refuge — Oil and Gas Development In October 2025, BLM reinstituted a Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program which opened the 1.56 million acre Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil and gas leasing. January 13, 2026
Regulatory Tracker Oil and Gas Development in Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve The Bureau of Land Management replaced the 2024 rule regulating management of the NPR-A with the prior rule, promulgated in 1977. December 11, 2025
Regulatory Tracker Federal Onshore Extractive Energy Leasing President Trump directed agencies to review and remove regulations that the administration believes burden domestic energy production. BLM has begun the process of offering expanded areas for leasing and expedited lease reviews. December 9, 2025
Regulatory Tracker Federal Offshore Oil and Gas Leasing Program The Department of the Interior proposed a new 5-year program for offshore oil and gas lease sales that will cover 1.3 billion acres. The administration also rolled out a schedule for additional offshore oil and gas lease sales to implement provisions in the OBBBA. November 20, 2025
Regulatory Tracker Endangered Species Act Regulations The Trump administration issued its first proposed rollback to ESA protections. November 19, 2025
Regulatory Tracker BLM Methane Waste Prevention Rule In 2024, BLM released a final rule to reduce the waste of natural gas from oil and gas operations on federal and Tribal land. In Nov. 2025, BLM announced it will delay enforcement of portions of the rule that had been scheduled to take effect Dec. 2025. Other portions of the rule remain in effect and BLM is considering revisions. November 17, 2025
Regulatory Tracker The Izembek Refuge Road The Dept. of Interior and King Cove Corp. (KCC) signed a land swap agreement. The contract conveyed KCC 490 acres within the refuge in exchange for 1,739 acres of KCC-owned lands that would be added to the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge. Native Villages and environmental advocacy groups filed three lawsuits to dispute the legality of the exchange. November 12, 2025
Federal Environmental Justice Tracker Three Regional Climate Adaptation Science Centers Suspended Operations Following DOI Funding Halt September 30, 2025
Federal Environmental Justice Tracker Agencies Significantly Narrowed NEPA Requirements, Changes Effective Immediately July 9, 2025
