On June 5, the Trump administration held another oil and gas lease sale in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. They will likely try to call it a success. The facts tell a different story.
Of the 58 tracts offered, only 5 received bids. Of nearly 689,000 acres offered, only about 72,000 acres received bids. Just 9 total bids were submitted, totaling $3.7 million, according to Alaska Public Media.
Only two bidders showed up: AIDEA, Alaska’s state development authority, and Hex Energy LLC, a small company. This was not a strong market response. It was another sign that major oil companies still do not want to drill in the Arctic Refuge.
For years, supporters of drilling claimed the Arctic Refuge would bring major revenue and broad industry investment. That promise has not materialized. Instead, public lands are being offered at bargain-basement prices while major oil companies continue to stay away.
The market has rejected Arctic Refuge drilling again.
That is worth celebrating. Thousands of people spoke out, contacted companies, signed petitions, and stood with Indigenous leaders and Arctic communities. The public made it clear that the Arctic Refuge is worth protecting, and no major oil company bid.
Public pressure matters.
But the fight is not over.
Any leasing in the Arctic remains unacceptable. The companies that acquired leases can still pursue development, and AIDEA has already signaled that it intends to move forward. AIDEA recently approved major spending for Arctic Refuge oil exploration, including up to $175 million for seismic activities, as reported by Alaska Beacon.
Seismic exploration would bring industrial disturbance into one of the most sensitive places on Earth. The Arctic Refuge coastal plain is vital habitat for caribou, polar bears, migratory birds, and countless other species. It is also sacred and essential to the Indigenous peoples who steward and rely on these lands.
This moment gives us an opportunity to prepare for what comes next.
We must build strong opposition to seismic exploration and any future development. We must call on Congress to repeal the Arctic Refuge leasing mandate and prevent future lease sales. And we must continue elevating Indigenous leadership and community voices at every step.
The threat is not limited to the Arctic Refuge. The Western Arctic is also under serious pressure. A March lease sale there resulted in substantial leasing activity, and the administration is now working to fast-track permitting, weaken environmental review, and undermine protections for Special Areas across the region. Read more about the Western Arctic lease sale from Alaska Public Media and Earthjustice.
So yes, this lease sale was a failure for the administration. Yes, it showed again that major oil companies do not want to touch Arctic Refuge drilling. And yes, it proved that people power can change the outcome.
But we cannot look away now.
The next fight is already taking shape: stopping seismic exploration after AIDEA approved major funding for Arctic Refuge work, preventing development, defending the Western Arctic from expanded leasing and weakened safeguards, and securing permanent protections for the Arctic Refuge.
Now it is time to end this destructive leasing program for good.