Virginia Cramer, virginia.cramer@sierraclub.org, 804-519-8449
WASHINGTON, D.C.-- Today, Sierra Club joined Congressional and Gwich’in tribal leaders to decry the current attempt to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling as part of the tax scheme. The effort would attempt to offsets tax cuts for the wealthy and corporate polluters with revenue from drilling in one of the country’s last wild places -- a move that the Senate Parliamentarian has said violates Senate rules.
In response Michael Brune issued the following statement.
“This backdoor plan to drill in the Arctic Refuge exemplifies the deep flaws in the whole tax proposal. It’s deeply unpopular, ignores the real, devastating effects it would have on people’s lives, and relies on fuzzy math and dishonest claims. The list goes on. The only winners here are the corporate polluters, whose short term gain could cost the future the of the Gwich’in people and steal one of our last great wild places from future generations.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3 million members and supporters. In addition to helping people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.