Trump admin pushes to sell Alaska oil leases before Biden can block it

The administration's announcement establishes a tight timeline for lease sales, with the earliest they could occur being on or about Jan. 17

In a last-minute push to achieve its long-sought goal of allowing oil and gas drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska, the Trump administration on Monday announced that it would begin the formal process of selling leases to oil companies.

That sets up a potential sale of leases just before Jan. 20, Inauguration Day, leaving the new administration of Joseph R. Biden Jr., who has opposed drilling in the refuge, to try to reverse them after the fact.

“This lease sale is one more box the Trump administration is trying to check off for its oil industry allies,” said Adam