WASHINGTON, March 20 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum on Thursday announced steps to open up more acreage for oil and gas leasing in Alaska.

Restrictions will also be lifted on building an LNG pipeline and mining road to carry out President Donald Trump's executive order to remove barriers to energy development in the state.

Burgum said the agency plans to reopen the 82 percent of Alaska's National Petroleum Reserve that is available for leasing for development and the 1.56-million-acre Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil and gas leasing.

"It's time for the U.S. to embrace Alaska's abundant and largely untapped resources as a pathway to prosperity for the nation, including Alaskans," said Burgum.

Republicans and Democrats have battled for decades over the development of Alaska, which has massive fossil fuel resources and holds unparalleled expanses of untouched natural habitats.

Trump made "Drill, Baby Drill" a slogan of his candidacy and presidency, arguing that ramping up oil and gas production is needed to face what he calls a "national energy emergency." Enditem

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