Gabby Brown, gabby.brown@sierraclub.org
Washington, DC -- In a notice set to be published to the Federal Register tomorrow, the Department of the Interior has announced plans to review the management of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska with the goal of opening up more land to oil and gas drilling and pipelines.
The announcement comes as the Trump administration is also pushing to open up the fragile coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil and gas exploration on an accelerated schedule.
In response, Alli Harvey, Alaska representative for Sierra Club’s Our Wild America campaign, released the following statement:
“As communities around the country face the growing threat of natural disasters fueled by climate change, it’s shockingly reckless that Donald Trump and Ryan Zinke are seeking to sell off every inch of America’s public lands for fossil fuel extraction. The Arctic is warming twice as fast as the rest of the world, and increased oil and gas drilling in this region is the last thing we need.”
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.