WASHINGTON, D.C. – More than 32,000 National Wildlife Federation supporters wrote to the Bureau of Land Management urging the agency to adopt strong measures to protect people and wildlife from risks associated with oil and gas development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The comments were in response to the Biden Administration’s draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the refuge leasing program.

“Oil and gas development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge would inflict great harm on the Gwich’in People and the many species of wildlife that depend on the refuge for their survival. It’s imperative that the government’s environmental impact studies evaluate all aspects of impacts to the lands, water, wildlife, Indigenous communities, and climate in this sacred area,” said Abby Tinsley, vice president for conservation policy at the National Wildlife Federation. “It is clear from the outpouring of public comments that Americans want to safeguard this crown jewel of the wildlife refuge system for generations to come.”