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Defenders of Wildlife Applauds New ‘Special Areas’ Rule
The Biden administration today announced regulations to safeguard “Special Areas” identified for exceptional wildlife and cultural values in Alaska’s Western Arctic. Defenders of Wildlife supports
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Defenders Secures Win for Polar Bears in Alaska's North Slope
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit rejected a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service finding that oil and gas activities in Alaska pose
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Alaska District Court Rules Willow Oil Project Can Proceed; Conservation Groups Plan To File Appeal
Environmental groups intend to challenge today’s federal court ruling that the Willow oil-drilling project in Alaska’s Western Arctic can proceed. A federal court in Alaska
More Polar Bear Press Releases
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Trump Administration Attempt to Sell Out the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Flops
Today’s lease sale for the coastal plain of Arctic National Wildlife Refuge continues the Trump administration’s destructive attack on our nation’s public lands and wildlife. Today, three entities were identified as the successful bidders on 11 tracts, yielding a paltry $7 million to the federal treasury because the state of Alaska receives half of the sale price of $14 million. The failed lease sale underscores a lack of interest in developing the Arctic refuge and sets up an incoming Biden administration to reverse course to permanently protect the refuge.
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Bureau of Land Management Finalizes Western Arctic Drilling Plan
Today, the Bureau of Land Management released the Record of Decision for a revised Integrated Activity Plan for the 22 million-acre National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (Reserve), located in the state’s Western Arctic region.
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Groups rush to court to stop ConocoPhillips’ Willow project winter road construction and gravel mining
Sovereign Iñupiat for a Living Arctic and five allied groups filed a motion in the U.S. District Court today requesting a preliminary injunction and temporary restraining order to stop ConocoPhillips from starting winter road construction and gravel mining for its Willow project.
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Indigenous, allied groups go to court to stop issuance of Arctic Refuge leases
The Gwich’in Steering Committee and 12 allied groups filed a motion in U.S. District Court today requesting a preliminary injunction to stop the U.S. Bureau of Land Management from issuing any leases sold in the Jan. 6 sale of the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and from authorizing seismic exploration activities.
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Bureau of Land Management Racing to Permit Destructive Seismic Exploration in Arctic Refuge
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) issued a draft environmental assessment (EA) today regarding a seismic exploration project proposed in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge this winter.
jcovey@defenders.org
