The Interior Department opened 2.6 million acres in northern Alaska to drilling.

Most of the northeast section of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska will be open for development. An estimated 3.7 billion barrels of oil could be produced.

Interior continued to defer a decision on opening 600,000 acres near Teshekpuk Lake to drilling due to concerns over caribou and waterfowl.

Get the Story:
Interior Dept. Opens 2.6 Million Alaskan Acres for Oil Exploration (The New York Times 7/17)
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Fall NPR-A leases draw praise (The Anchorage Daily News 7/17)
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