Sunday’s resource roundtable in Anchorage.In a show of federal support for expanding energy development in Alaska, three Cabinet-level officials from the Trump administration visited Anchorage this week to advance drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) and revive the long-dormant Alaska LNG project.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin arrived in Alaska as part of a broader initiative tied to President Donald Trump’s recent executive order prioritizing oil, gas, mining, and timber development on federal lands in Alaska.
Their visit included high-level meetings on Sunday with resource development advocates, energy industry leaders, and Alaska’s two US Senators — Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski — and Gov. Mike Dunleavy.
During a closed-door roundtable with industry leaders, the cabinet members reiterated the administration’s commitment to reducing permitting barriers and restarting long-stalled energy projects, such as the Alaska LNG project that would help Alaska commercialize its extraordinary supply of natural gas.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, long known as a critic of all-things Trump, participated in the roundtable, but left the event before members of the press were allowed to ask questions.
In contrast, Sen. Dan Sullivan remained engaged through the full session and fielded questions from the media alongside Burgum, Wright, and Zeldin.
Following their Anchorage meetings, the delegation members are traveling to Prudhoe Bay for a firsthand look at the state’s energy infrastructure and to hear directly from North Slope operators.
The renewed focus on ANWR drilling and LNG export infrastructure comes as the Trump administration signals a rollback of what it describes as “regulatory overreach” under prior administrations.