The Interior Department will open the north shore of Alaska to oil and gas development, according to news reports.

Nearly 130 million acres in Chukchi Sea and Beaufort Sea will be open to drilling under the plan, which will be announced by President Barack Obama and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar today.

Alaska Natives oppose off-shore drilling out of fears it will harm subsistence whaling. The village of Point Hope had won a lawsuit that required Interior to take another look at development.

At the White House Tribal Nations Conference last November, Alaska Native leaders asked Salazar to consider the impact of drilling on whaling.

Get the Story:
Interior Dept. to decide Alaska offshore drilling (AP 3/30)
Obama to clear way for offshore drilling for oil and gas, including off Va. coast, sources say (The Washington Post 3/31)
Obama to Open Offshore Areas to Oil Drilling for First Time (The New York Times 3/31)

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DOI delays decision on off-shore drilling in Alaska (11/20)
Editorial: Salazar's measured approach in Arctic (10/26)
Editorial: Protect Arctic from oil development (10/14)