The department has the mission of responsibly developing Alaska's resources by making them available for maximum use and benefit consistent with the public interest.
The task is difficult uniquely in Alaska because occupations related to natural resources dominate the Alaskan economy and its job market.
For example, the federal Trump administration of 2017-2020 took several steps to open portions of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska up for oil and gas exploration.
This balance is especially difficult considering a 2017 report[citation needed] noting that there are an estimated 640 million barrels of untapped oil and 219 trillion cubic feet of potential natural-gas between the North Slope and Cook Inlet, both of which are managed by the department.
[citation needed] Mining and minerals support an extremely lucrative part of the Alaskan economy - managed by the Department of Natural Resources.
Under the Trump administration the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 passed, with provisions embedded that would strip protections and allow for potential prospecting and extraction of natural resources on public lands, including those in Alaska.
[citation needed] Sections of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge provide a unique habitat home to many different species that thrive in its current condition.