Natural Resources Law – Environmental and Energy Law Program

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

Endangered Species Act Regulations

The Trump administration issued its first proposed rollback to ESA protections.

November 19, 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

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.

October 23, 2025

Regulatory Tracker

Alaska Roadless Rule

Under President Biden, USDA finalized a rule restoring protections in national forests, including the Tongass, which was challenged. In Aug. 2025 the USDA announced it plans to propose to rescind the 2001 Roadless Rule.

August 29, 2025

Regulatory Tracker

Marine National Monuments & Marine Sanctuaries

The Trump administration took steps to roll back marine monument protections via executive order and proclamation.

August 11, 2025

Regulatory Tracker

Bristol Bay and the Pebble Mine

The Biden EPA issued a Clean Water Act determination that blocked the Pebble Mine, finding the project would significantly impact the Bristol Bay watershed. A court granted the Trump DOJ’s request to stay litigation challenging that determination.

July 17, 2025

Regulatory Tracker

National Monuments

The Biden administration designated and expanded national monuments. The Trump DOI has slated these for rollback.

May 27, 2025

Quick Takes

Trump Administration Targets Endangered Species Act Habitat Protections

The proposal would remove a key safeguard for endangered wildlife by removing the longstanding definition of “harm,” which includes habitat modification or degradation.

May 6, 2025