In its last month in office, the Trump administration sold and signed lease contracts for oil drilling in the Arctic Refuge, putting one of the Earth’s last fully intact ecosystems at the mercy of the oil industry. This attack wasn’t surprising — the Trump administration mandated a lease sale in its 2017 tax giveaway that sold out working people and the planet for the benefit of corporations and polluters — but it is unprecedented and poses a dire threat to the Arctic Refuge. Tell President Biden to work with his allies in Congress to protect the Refuge!
The coastal plain is the biological heart of the Refuge. It is where the 200,000 caribou of the Porcupine Herd birth and raise their young each year. The Gwich’in People, whose way of life and culture depend on the herd, consider the coastal plain sacred. It’s also home to polar bears, and birds from all 50 states gather there to breed every summer.
Even though we need Congress to undo the law, this isn’t going to get done without leadership from President Biden. Tell him to work with his allies in Congress to pass legislation protecting the Arctic Refuge by repealing Trump’s drilling mandate.
Fortunately, on his first day in office President Biden issued an executive order temporarily halting all activities in the Refuge intended to facilitate oil drilling. His action was a great and important step that buys us critical time to do what is needed to protect the Refuge.
The Arctic Refuge is already ground zero for climate change impacts and should not be sacrificed for oil extraction that will further exacerbate the climate crisis. Please join us in telling President Biden to fully support legislative action to repeal the 2017 drilling mandate and cancel the leases!
