Trump administration seeks NPR-A drilling without environmental review

The U.S. Interior Department is preparing to ease environmental review requirements for some oil and gas exploration activities in Alaska's National Petroleum ​Reserve as part of the Trump administration's push to speed ‌energy development in the Arctic, an Interior spokesperson said on Wednesday.

The agency is working on a proposed "categorical exclusion" that would accelerate permitting for winter oil and ​gas exploration activities, including seismic surveys and exploratory drilling operations ​in the reserve, the spokesperson said in an emailed statement…(Read full story)