BLM announces 2026 oil and gas lease sale in Alaska's Coastal Plain

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BLM announces 2026 oil and gas lease sale in Alaska's Coastal Plain

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska - The Bureau of Land Management will hold an oil and gas lease sale in Alaska's Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge on June 5, 2026. This is the first lease sale for the 1.56-million-acre Coastal Plain under the Working Families Tax Cuts and is a milestone in unleashing Alaska's vast energy potential.

The BLM is required to conduct at least four lease sales in the Coastal Plain by 2035, each offering at least 400,000 acres for bid. The sale aligns with Executive Order 14153 and Secretary's Order 3422, both titled "Unleashing Alaska's Extraordinary Resource Potential," and reinforces the President's commitment to responsible resource development.

"After three Acts of Congress and several successful lawsuits making it abundantly clear that oil and gas leasing in this area of Alaska is lawful, it is a great honor to once again announce another Coastal Plain lease sale," said Department of the Interior Deputy Secretary Kate MacGregor. "President Trump has long supported Alaska's important contribution to American energy dominance and Interior is proud to take the necessary and durable steps to unleash these important resources on behalf of the American people."

"The record-breaking success of last month's lease sale in Alaska's National Petroleum Reserve sent a clear signal: There is robust and continuing demand for Alaskan energy, underscoring the need for more opportunities like the Coastal Plain sale," said Acting BLM Director Bill Groffy. "By expanding these opportunities, we strengthen our national energy security, support high-paying jobs for Alaskans, and help ensure Americans have access to affordable energy."

"Nearly 50 years ago, Congress saw the tremendous energy potential of the Coastal Plain and set it aside for potential development," said BLM Alaska State Director Kevin Pendergast. "This lease sale marks a major milestone, as we continue the stable and lawful progress toward responsible development in the Coastal Plain."

A sale notice will publish in Monday's Federal Register. Sealed bids must be received at the BLM-Alaska State Office, ATTN: Wayne Svejnoha (AK932); 222 West 7th Avenue, #13; Anchorage, AK 99513-7504, by 4 p.m. AKDT on June 3, 2026. The Detailed Statement of Sale will be available on the BLM Alaska Oil and Gas Lease Sales webpage. The opening and reading of the bids will be streamed live at 10 a.m. AKDT on June 5, 2026, via the BLM Live Streaming webpage.

This notice is the next step in the leasing process for the Coastal Plain, following the February 3, 2026, Call for Nominations, which sought input on tracts to be offered for leasing.

While Congress has long recognized the high potential of the Coastal Plain, Congress first mandated development of an oil and gas leasing program for the area in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The first lease sale occurred in January 2021 and resulted in 11 leases with three companies. The second sale was scheduled for January 2025, but received no bids due to restrictions imposed on potential development at the time.

The BLM manages about 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America's public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.