Washington, DC

The Bureau of Land Management announced today that it will hold an oil and gas lease sale on January 6 for the coastal plain of Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, one of the nation’s premier national wildlife refuges. This destructive, unlawful sale will giveaway one of America’s last great wildlands to the highest bidder, offering up almost the entire 1.5 million-acre coastal plain for fossil fuel development, including huge expanses of federally designated denning critical habitat essential for the threatened Southern Beaufort Sea (SBS) population of polar bears. The SBS population is one of the most imperiled polar bear populations on the planet and has declined dramatically in recent years. 
 
Jamie Rappaport Clark, Former president and CEO of Defenders of Wildlife, issued the following statement:  
 
“Today we put the oil industry on notice. Any oil companies that bid on lease sales for the coastal plain of Arctic National Wildlife Refuge should brace themselves for an uphill legal battle fraught with high costs and reputational risks. Defenders will not stand by as the government despoils lands sacred to Indigenous people, wipes out one of the most imperiled polar bear populations in the U.S. and industrializes the crown jewel of the national wildlife refuge system.” 
 
 

For over 75 years, Defenders of Wildlife has remained dedicated to protecting all native animals and plants in their natural communities. With a nationwide network of nearly 2.1 million members and activists, Defenders of Wildlife is a leading advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard our wildlife for generations to come. To learn more, please visit https://defenders.org/newsroom or follow us on X @Defenders.

  

Media Contact

News

Image
Florida Panther
Tallahassee, FL

Florida Passes Ill-Conceived Amendment 2, Wildlife Conflict Could Ensue

Florida voters yesterday affirmed Amendment 2 to the state’s constitution, a wholly unnecessary amendment disguised as an effort to preserve the right to fishing and
Image
2024.05.07 - Polar Bear on Beaufort Sea on Foggy Day - Alaska - Dr. Pablo Clemente-Colon-NOAA.jpg

Environmental Review Underscores Grave Threat to National Treasure

The Department of the Interior released today its second report detailing the devastating impacts of transforming the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge