Suspending Oil and Gas Leasing in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is a Welcome Reprieve

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Biden administration’s decision to suspend all activities related to the Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is good news for wildlife, the Gwich’in people, and for all who believe that there are some wild places that should be protected for future generations.

“Secretary Haaland’s order to review all aspects of the Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program is a welcome reprieve for the Gwich’in people and the polar bears, caribou, musk oxen, waterfowl, and hundreds of migratory birds, that depend upon the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for survival,” said Collin O’Mara, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation. “However, it’s only a first step. Permanently protecting this crown jewel of the national refuge system requires an act of Congress and we urge Congress to act.”

 

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