Anchorage, AK

The Bureau of Ocean and Energy Management (BOEM) opened and read the bids this morning for Cook Inlet federal offshore oil and gas lease sale #258.  After offering close to one million acres for lease, there was only one bid.  Hillcorp Alaska LLC bid $63,983 for one block.

Nicole Whittington-Evans, Defenders of Wildlife Alaska Program Director, released the following statement regarding the federal Cook Inlet offshore oil and gas lease sale:

"The 1970s heyday of Cook Inlet oil and gas development is long behind us as illustrated, once again, with today’s lackluster showing of only one bid by one company for offered federal offshore leases. Policy for Cook Inlet waters needs to keep pace with modern reality and focus on addressing the biodiversity and climate crises we face. The federal government must take aggressive measures to reduce disturbances and restore critically endangered Cook Inlet beluga whales, which have declined by 75%. And it must pivot to clean energy technologies and stop trying to double down on fossil fuel projects that undermine our climate goals."   

Cook Inlet beluga whale
Paul Wade/NOAA Fisheries

For over 75 years, Defenders of Wildlife has remained dedicated to protecting all native animals and plants in their natural communities. With a nationwide network of nearly 2.1 million members and supporters, Defenders of Wildlife is a leading advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard our wildlife for generations to come. To learn more, please visit https://defenders.org/newsroom or follow us on X @Defenders.

  

Media Contact

Laura Sheehan
Laura Sheehan
Senior Vice President, External Affairs
lsheehan@defenders.org
(202) 772-3244

News

Polar bear on beaufort sea ice
Washington, DC

Trump Proposal Puts America’s Most Vulnerable and Valuable Coastal Resources in the Crosshairs

Protected areas across United States coasts are in the sights of a new oil and gas drilling proposal released on Thursday by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
A Canada lynx runs through a snow covered ground. Only the front half of it's body shows in the photo, filling the frame. The lynx is looking up.
Washington, D.C.

Trump Administration Seeks ESA Regulatory Rollbacks, Risks Accelerating Extinction for America’s Most Vulnerable Wildlife

In a move that could accelerate the extinction crisis we face today, the Trump administration today proposed significant changes to the regulations implementing the Endangered Species Act, which, for more than 50 years, has served as the backstop to America’s most imperiled wildlife.
Visit the newsroom