The move protects the lands from mining as well as oil and gas extraction.
The decision is not a surprise, as the administration indicated earlier this year it planned to protect the acreage.
But it represents a reversal of orders signed at the very end of the Trump administration that sought to open up the lands for industry use.
The Biden administration described its predecessor’s action as “unlawful,” saying it did not consider impacts to the environment, including historic and cultural resources for tribes.
The decision from Interior Secretary Deb Haaland cited impacts on Indigenous populations, saying opening the lands to development would harm tribal fishing and hunting and other activities.
It also noted the move would protect caribou habitat. The areas being preserved include Bristol Bay, an area that represents significant habitat for salmon.
Read more in a full report at TheHill.com.
