WASHINGTON, Jan. 25 (UPI) -- The Obama Administration announced Sunday it plans to set aside 12 million acres in Alaska to be considered protected wilderness.
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska is roughly 19 million acres in total, and President Obama hopes to make 12 million of those acres designated as wilderness, which means no roads can be built on it and there will be no motorized access. Designating it as wilderness is considered the highest level of protection for a wildlife area.