America’s 'Last Great Wilderness' Faces ‘Drill, Baby, Drill’

The Alaska Travel Industry Association (ATIA), which represents over 600 travel businesses in the state, is calling for "thoughtful" talks about opening up a vast wilderness area in the Arctic to oil and gas drilling.

President Donald Trump declared a “national energy emergency” in the United States on Monday and issued an executive order that would open up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in northern Alaska to oil drilling.

The area spans roughly 19 million acres and tour operators in the area often call it “America’s last great wilderness.”

Although visitor numbers are small, tour operators in the region said it is becoming increasingly popular as a backpacking, hiking, and wildlife watching destination.

The trend follows a wider shift across Arctic regions, where tourism is growing due to improved access and rising demand for more individualized trips.

“The ATIA recognizes the unparalleled natural beauty and ecological significance of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), which has long been a draw for travelers seeking transformative wilderness experiences,” ATIA President & CEO Jillian Simpson told Skift. 

“As discussions surrounding potential development in ANWR unfold, we remain committed to supporting balanced, thoughtful approaches to development that prioritize environmental stewardship and economic sustainability, ensuring Alaska remains a world-class destination for generations to come.”

Trump’s executive order said that “unlocking this bounty of natural wealth will raise the prosperity of our citizens while helping to enhance our nation’s economic and national security for generations to come.”

However, previous efforts, one as recently as last week, to auction off drilling leases in the ANWR wilderness resulted in no bids.

But for Trump, extracting what he called Alaska’s ”liquid gold” remains one of his top energy priorities.

“By developing these resources to the fullest extent possible, we can help deliver price relief for Americans, create high-quality jobs for our citizens, ameliorate our trade imbalances, augment the nation’s exercise of global energy dominance, and guard against foreign powers weaponizing energy supplies in theaters of geopolitical conflict,” the executive order said. 

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