Biden administration moves to restrict oil and gas leases on 13m acres in Alaska

Environmentalists celebrate new rules but Alaska politicians call it an illegal' attack on state's livelihood and predict lawsuits

The Biden administration said on Friday it will restrict new oil and gas leasing on 13m acres (5.3m hectares) of a federal petroleum reserve in Alaska to help protect wildlife such as caribou and polar bears as the Arctic continues to warm.

The decision - part of an ongoing, years-long fight over whether and how to develop the vast oil resources in the state - finalizes protections first proposed last year as the Biden administration prepared to approve the controversial Willow oil project.