Biden Shields Millions of Acres of Alaskan Wilderness From Drilling and Mining

The Biden administration expanded federal protections across millions of acres of Alaskan wilderness on Friday, blocking oil, gas and mining operations in some of the most unspoiled land in the country.

The Interior Department said it would deny a permit for an industrial road that the state of Alaska had wanted to build through the Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve in order to reach a large copper deposit with an estimated value of $7.5 billion. It also announced it would ban drilling in more than half of the 23-million-acre National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, an ecologically sensitive expanse north of the Arctic Circle.

Together, the two moves amount to one of biggest efforts in history to shield Alaskan land from drilling and mining. They are expected to face challenges from industry as well as from elected leaders in Alaska, where oil and gas revenues make up much of the state’s budget and where mining is a main driver of the economy.

“Alaska’s majestic and rugged lands and waters are among the most remarkable and healthy landscapes in the world, sustaining a vibrant subsistence economy for Alaska Native communities,” President Biden said in a statement.

Part of an environmental blitz ahead of Earth Day, the Alaska announcements are designed to help Mr. Biden cement his climate and conservation legacy and win back voters still angry over a decision he made last year to approve Willow, an $8 billion oil drilling project in Alaska.

Over the past several weeks, the administration has announced strict new emissions limits for automobiles; raised the cost to drill and mine on public lands while making it easier to conserve those federal lands; and issued a host of regulations to restrict toxic chemicals in the air and drinking water. Mr. Biden has also expanded the boundaries of several national monuments.