For media inquiries: Genae Lako, 303-918-6290, genae.lako@gmail.com
(Organizational contacts below)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 21, 2025
Washington, D.C. – On Day One of his second term, President Trump issued an executive order that directs the Secretary of the Interior to take various actions that will harm the Arctic, including the people that live there and rely on it for their way of life. The Executive Order is a broad mandate for increasing drilling and industrialization in Alaska’s fragile Arctic landscapes. While his order seeks to industrialize lands across the state, and in the Arctic region, his executive order also calls for the Secretary to take action to rescind protective rules and plans that were put in place to ensure that the people and animals of the Arctic could thrive. The order directs the Secretary to reinstate old decisions that threaten the region. Many of the actions that the President seeks to reinstate – such as trying to increase leasing on the Arctic Refuge Coastal Plain – are unlawful and have already been challenged in court.
It’s ironic that Trump is focusing on this kind of mandate to ‘drill, baby, drill’ in the Arctic Refuge when it’s a fact that major oil companies and financial backers recognize that drilling in this region doesn’t make financial sense and is not worth the risk. A perfect example: no major company showed up to Trump’s first lease sale for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in January of 2021, and no entities bothered to bid in the most recent sale held under President Biden, either.
We, alongside the Gwich’in Steering Committee, Tribal Governments, and Iñupiat allies have been working for decades to protect the irreplaceable Arctic landscapes of Alaska, and we certainly will not stop now. The protections that he’s trying to undo are ones that our groups have supported and advocated for decades to achieve. Make no mistake, Trump’s actions – although predictable – will be fought, in court and outside of it.
Members of our coalition shared the following statements,
“The Gwich’in people have stewarded the lands and waters that the Porcupine caribou herd rely on for millennia. Unfortunately, President Trump has made attacking these sacred lands a priority in his previous administration, and, unfortunately, it seems in his second,” said Kristen Moreland, executive director of the Gwich’in Steering Committee. “Although we are disappointed in this backward step for our people, we will continue to fiercely defend the coastal plain from any threats from oil and gas development, period. The Gwich’in people stand in solidarity with Alaska Native communities and our allies opposed to extractive and destructive industry on sacred land. We will fight this.”
"It is no surprise that, within his first moments of taking office, President Trump has decided to use his power to attempt to destroy sacred land," said Raeann Garnett, Tribal Chief of Native Village of Venetie Tribal Government. "However, it doesn't make this decision any less disrespectful to our people or drilling oil and gas in the Refuge any less of a misguided financial decision. This Executive Order also doesn’t change the fact that, The Neets’ąįį Gwich’in stand opposed to oil and gas drilling on the land which we have relied on for generations and we will continue to fight to protect this sacred land which we have defended for decades."
“President Trump’s inaugural address and first-day actions make it clear: he’s fixated on dragging our nation’s energy policy backwards, and we won’t let him get away with it,” said Andy Moderow, Senior Director of Policy at Alaska Wilderness League. “This reckless and misguided attempt to industrialize the Arctic is a slap in the face to science, the American public, and Indigenous communities who seek land protections. We’re watching and ready to fight these attacks, in Congress and the courtroom, each and every step of the way. We will make sure that America’s Arctic stays protected.”
“Administrations come and go, but one thing never changes: The fight to protect public lands, our climate and Indigenous communities in the Arctic never stops,” said Meda DeWitt, Alaska senior manager for The Wilderness Society. “The Arctic is warming up to four times faster than the rest of the planet, and more drilling would compound devastating climate impacts, harming communities already bearing the brunt of a changing climate. That’s just not acceptable.”
“We’ll continue to use the power of the law to defend the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, as we have for decades. This land is cherished by people globally, nationally and within Alaska for its ecological values and held to be a sacred place by neighboring Gwich’in communities. It is no place to drill for oil,” said Erik Grafe, an attorney at Earthjustice who lives in Anchorage.
“The Arctic Refuge is one of the last remaining truly wild places in the United States, and Donald Trump wants to turn it into the world’s largest gas station. Let’s be clear, this is a pet project for Lisa Murkowski, Dan Sullivan, and Trump – even Big Oil CEOs see this for what it is, all risk and no reward. Banks won’t fund it and insurers won’t underwrite it. But Trump, Murkowski, and their allies continue to pursue this boondoggle, threatening Arctic communities, wildlife, and ecosystems,” said Athan Manuel, director of Sierra Club’s Lands Protection Program
“Time and again, we’ve seen the oil industry and the majority of Americans agree: the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is no place for oil rigs. Yet, despite this consensus, the push for extraction continues,” said Nicole Whittington-Evans, Alaska senior program director for Defenders of Wildlife. “The Arctic Refuge coastal plain supports imperiled wildlife, migratory birds from around the world, and is sacred to the Gwich’in people who depend on the caribou that calve there each summer. This delicate ecosystem, teeming with wildlife, must be protected now and for future generations. We cannot let this irreplaceable national treasure be destroyed."
“The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is one of the most biologically important areas in the world and is sacred to the Gwich’in Nation and other Indigenous people,” said Desirée Sorenson-Groves, President and CEO of the National Wildlife Refuge Association. “We will not rest until this national wildlife refuge is permanently protected and drilling is off the table."
"The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is not just a sanctuary for wildlife; it is a haven for U.S. veterans seeking healing and purpose. As a U.S. Navy veteran, I have witnessed its transformative power firsthand. This land offers a unique opportunity for veterans to heal and mentor inner-city youth. U.S. veterans have protected this country and given their very lives for it. Knowing the power of healing warriors, protecting the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is protecting the natural medicine the refuge offers to heal our veterans. We must protect this sacred land from exploitation to honor the Gwich'in Nation and Inupiat allies who have welcomed us with open arms. We cannot allow the Trump administration to destroy this invaluable resource for short-term gains,” said Chad Brown U.S. Navy Veteran and Founder/ President of Soul River Inc.
"We must, once again, heed the voices of Indigenous peoples, local communities, conservationists, scientists, and outdoor enthusiasts who have loudly and in great numbers declared that drilling has no place in the Arctic Refuge,” said Hans Cole, VP of environmental activism at Patagonia. “Patagonia stands with the Tribes and grassroots groups protecting the people and natural landscapes in Alaska. We’ve been supporting environmental nonprofits in the state for more than 30 years, and we’re committed to however many more it takes to see these places protected for good.”
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Media Contacts:
Tim Woody, The Wilderness Society. (907) 223-2443, tim_woody@tws.org
Andy Moderow, Alaska Wilderness League. (907) 360-3622, andy@alaskawild.org
Dawnell Smith, Trustees for Alaska. (907) 433-2013, dsmith@trustees.org
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