Gov. Mike Dunleavy hails Trump executive orders as path to Alaska resource development

Gov. Mike Dunleavy applauded President Trump's executive orders on federal land management as a major opportunity for Alaska, saying the measures "interject[ed] hope into this great state" and could reopen access for projects ranging from ANWR leases to the Ambler Road.

The executive orders, issued in late January and described at a governor's press conference in Anchorage, direct federal agencies to review prior restrictions and prioritize permitting, according to comments by state officials. Dunleavy and department leaders said the actions could support renewed lease sales in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), accelerate the Alaska LNG project and remove administrative barriers to infrastructure such as the Ambler Road and timber activity in the Tongass National Forest.

Why it matters: Roughly 60 percent of land within Alaska's borders is federally controlled, and state officials said federal policy changes are necessary to unlock what they described as long-dormant economic potential. Randy Buraro, executive director of ADA, told reporters ADA estimates "3 to 4 billion barrels of oil on ADA leases" and cited a federal estimate of up to "$2,000,000,000 annually" in royalties if ANWR were developed. Frank Richards, president of the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation, said the executive order singles out Alaska LNG for federal prioritization and frames the project as a national strategic asset.

State Department of Natural…