Grim Prospects for Drilling on Arctic Leases Despite Trump Push

Donald Trump pushed through controversial oil leases in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as one of his last acts as president—but legal observers say the chance that oil development actually proceeds there is slim.

President Joe Biden has a menu of legal and administrative options at his disposal to curb drilling in the refuge, which is a vast environmentally sensitive region of northeast Alaska that for decades has been a battleground over oil and gas development.

Biden imposed a moratorium on leasing activities within the refuge going forward. But the oil ...