EnergyAlaska · September 3, 2026
30 more years on the table
The trans-Alaska pipeline is up for another 30 years, and the public comment window is only 15 days long.
Daily Alaska staff · September 3, 2026
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management has opened a federal review of the right of way for the trans-Alaska pipeline, an 800-mile oil pipeline built between 1975 and 1977 that runs across federal land in Alaska. BLM Alaska director Kevin Pendergast, Interior Deputy Assistant Secretary Brenda Younkin, and Cooper Freeman of the Center for Biological Diversity have all weighed in on the process, which would renew the pipeline's federal authorization for roughly 30 more years.
The public comment period opened August 27, 2026 and closes September 10, 2026, a span of 15 days. Anyone can submit comments through the BLM's e-Planning portal at eplanning.blm.gov, and there is no eligibility requirement to take part.
Pendergast called the pipeline an engineering marvel that is only growing in importance to Alaska's economy. Younkin said the agency is optimistic about moving quickly through the review.
Freeman pushed back on that framing, saying the process should be thorough and public rather than rushed. The pipeline's original right of way was authorized in 1974, and the previous federal renewal was finalized in 2003.
In this story
Questions people ask
how long is the public comment window for the pipeline
Fifteen days, from August 27 to September 10, 2026, to weigh in on renewing the trans-Alaska pipeline's federal right of way for roughly 30 more years.
where do i submit comments on the pipeline renewal
Through the BLM's e-Planning portal at eplanning.blm.gov.
who says the comment period is too short
Rick Solie of the Center for Biological Diversity said the process should be thorough and public, not rammed through in 15 days.
when was the pipeline last renewed
The previous federal renewal was finalized in 2003, after the original authorization in 1974.
Evidence
Sources
Claims and where they come from
- The BLM opened a 15-day scoping comment period on August 27, 2026 that closes September 10, 2026. · adn.com
- The renewal would authorize roughly 30 more years of trans-Alaska pipeline operations across federal land. · adn.com
- The pipeline is 800 miles long, built 1975 to 1977, originally authorized in 1974, and last renewed in 2003. · adn.com
- Cooper Freeman of the Center for Biological Diversity said the process should be thorough and public, not rammed through. · adn.com
Produced with AI assistance, narrated with Slav Lund's voice clone with his consent, and reviewed by a person before publishing. How we use AI →