On Wednesday, while a mob of domestic terrorists stormed the U.S. Capitol, something else undemocratic was going on: the Trump administration was holding the first-ever sale for oil leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). And, like the attempted coup, it was a complete failure—one that’s likely to lead to permanent protections for the country’s last unspoiled wilderness. “Today’s sale reflects the brutal economic realities the oil and gas industry continues to face after the unprecedented events of 2020, coupled with ongoing regulatory uncertainty,” said Kara Moriarty, president and CEO of the Alaska Oil and Gas Association, an industry advocacy group, in an emailed statement. The auction raised just $14.4 million, falling well short of the $1.8 billion the Department of the Interior forecast last January. Only 11 of the 22 tracts offered sold, approximately 550,000 of the one million acres put up for sale. Proceeds will be split between the federal government and the state of Alaska.
Source: Good News: Trump’s ANWR Oil-Lease Sale Was a Failure | Outside Online
