Turning the coastal plain into an oilfield will obliterate the pristine wilderness of the Arctic Refuge, directly threatening the future of the Porcupine caribou herd and the physical, cultural and spiritual existence of the Gwich’in people who depend on them. Defenders again calls on Congress to repeal this deeply misguided mandate that threatens an iconic American landscape

Nicole Whittington-Evans, Alaska senior program director for Defenders of Wildlife.

Defenders of Wildlife released the following statement today on the Department of the Interior’s final Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program, which follows the release of its final supplemental review. The Record of Decision makes available at least 400,000 acres of the 1.6-million-acre coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The lease sale will take place on January 9, 2025.

“Turning the coastal plain into an oilfield will obliterate the pristine wilderness of the Arctic Refuge, directly threatening the future of the Porcupine caribou herd and the physical, cultural and spiritual existence of the Gwich’in people who depend on them,” said Nicole Whittington-Evans, Alaska senior program director for Defenders of Wildlife. “Defenders again calls on Congress to repeal this deeply misguided  mandate that threatens an iconic American landscape.”

The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act mandated the first-ever oil and gas lease sales in the Refuge for 2021 and 2024. The first sale was unsuccessful, generating no interest from the oil industry and less than 1% of projected sale revenue. The few leases sold were either relinquished by the purchasers or canceled by the Biden administration. 

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

Jacqueline Covey
Jacqueline Covey
Communications Specialist
jcovey@defenders.org

News

manta rays swimming in the shallow ocean with coral
Fort Myers, FL

Defenders of Wildlife Applauds Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for Tightening Protections for Listed Species

Defenders of Wildlife welcomes today’s action by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to end open permitting for the capture of ESA-threatened marine species in Florida waters for public display and exhibition purposes.
NARW
WASHINGTON, D.C.

Legal Intervention Aims to Protect North Atlantic Right Whales From Deadly Ship Strikes

Conservation groups today filed a motion to intervene to help fight a lawsuit aimed at overturning a seasonal speed rule protecting North Atlantic right whales from deadly vessel strikes. The groups want to defend the rule against a lawsuit brought by a New York vessel owner fined for violating seasonal speed limits. The suit alleges that NOAA Fisheries lacked the statutory authority to issue the rule.
Visit the newsroom