The Biden administration is formally launching its review of the previous administration’s plans to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling.
“We are grateful that the Biden administration will address the insufficiencies and legal violations of the Trump-era oil and gas leasing program for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge,” said Nicole Whittington-Evans, Alaska program director, Defenders of Wildlife. “Now it’s time for Congress to repeal it completely and permanently protect the refuge.”
The Interior Department announced today that it will carry out a rigorous environmental review known as a supplemental environmental impact statement. As part of the review, it will also consider possible alternatives to leasing such as declaring some areas of the Coastal Plain off-limits to leasing, banning surface infrastructure in “sensitive areas” and barring more than 2,000 acres of surface development across the Coastal Plain.
This announcement follows promises made throughout President Biden’s campaign as well as commitments made earlier this summer to carefully review the Trump administration’s plans to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge up to drilling.
For nearly 80 years, Defenders of Wildlife has worked to protect and restore America’s wildlife at risk of extinction, advancing a vision of a future in which wildlife thrives, sustained by broad public support and a resilient network of healthy lands and waters. With a network of more than 2 million supporters, Defenders is an advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard wildlife for generations to come. To learn more, please visit https://defenders.org/newsroom or follow us on Instagram @defendersofwildlife.
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