From Environment America (https://environmentamerica.org/):
The Biden administration just suspended all oil and gas leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. This move, which begins to unwind the Trump administration’s auction of drilling rights, is critical to this pristine, wild place and the wildlife that call it home.1
Thanks to this action and President Biden’s Jan. 20 executive order halting all leasing activity in the Arctic Refuge, migrating caribou, endangered polar bears, golden eagles and more can live undisturbed by destructive development. For now, we can breathe a little easier knowing the refuge is safe from seismic testing “thumper trucks,” oil spills and air pollution.
Environment America is proud to have played a part in this victory for the Arctic Refuge.
Earlier this year, our national network delivered tens of thousands of messages to the Department of the Interior in support of permanent protections for this special place. We’ve lobbied in Washington, D.C., published blogs and reports, and organized grassroots support across the country. Most recently, we hosted a Protect the Arctic Day of Action, where we brought together issue experts and activists to discuss the importance of conserving the Arctic and write letters to the Biden administration calling for action.
But our work to protect the Arctic Refuge isn’t over. In order to ensure this special place is never again threatened by oil and gas drilling, we need to secure permanent protections for the refuge. We’ll be right there, calling for such measures and holding our leaders accountable, until that day comes.
1. Juliet Eilperin and Joshua Partlow, “Biden administration to suspend oil and gas leases in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge,” The Washington Post, June 1, 2021.
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