Biden approves oil & gas lease sale in Alaska's Arctic Wildlife Refuge

JUNEAU, Alaska: The Biden administration has approved a scaled-down oil and gas lease sale in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, reigniting debate over drilling in the pristine coastal plain.

The sale, scheduled for January 9, will include 400,000 acres (162,000 hectares), the minimum required by a 2017 law mandating lease sales in the refuge.

This marks the second sale under the 2017 law. The fir