(CNN) Interior Secretary David Bernhardt on Monday announced plans for an oil and gas leasing program in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, clearing the way for drilling in the remote Alaskan area. Bernhardt said future leases of the federally-owned land will make the entire 1.5 million acre Coastal Plain area available. Bernhardt said the announcement "marks a new chapter in American energy independence" and predicted it could "create thousands of new jobs." Drilling in these controversial areas of the Alaskan arctic has long been controversial and the plans are certain to be met with legal challenges. Environmental activists have sounded the alarm that drilling the Arctic could harm the environment and exacerbate the climate crisis.

Source: CNN August 17, 2020 14:06 UTC