Hello Braided River Family!
We're thrilled to share some historic news today marking a significant win for the Arctic, Indigenous Peoples, and our planet. In an announcement made just hours ago, the Biden administration announced the cancellation of the last remaining oil and gas leases on the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
This momentous decision not only preserves a vital ecological sanctuary but also upholds the rights of the Indigenous People who have tirelessly defended their sacred lands for generations.
Background
The Coastal Plain Arctic Refuge, referred to as "Iizhik Gwats'an Gwandaii Goodlit" or "The Sacred Place Where Life Begins" by the Gwich'in People, has been a focal point of environmental and Indigenous rights advocacy for decades, and one of Braided River's main programs.
The leases were initially granted under a controversial 2021 Trump lease sale that was fraught with legal doubts, and brought in less than 1% of the anticipated revenue projected by the Trump Administration. Over time, every other lessee abandoned their plans to drill in this pristine region, leaving the state-owned Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) as the sole lease holder.
What The Lease Cancellations Mean
Indigenous Rights Honored: This decision acknowledges the importance of respecting Indigenous rights and sovereignty. It's a step toward a genuine government-to-government relationship between the United States and Tribal Governments.
Environmental Protection: Cancelling these leases helps safeguard an ecosystem crucial for the Porcupine Caribou Herd, migratory birds, and other wildlife.
Climate Action: With climate change at the forefront of global concerns, this move aligns with the administration's commitment to addressing the climate crisis.
In what is believed to have been the largest Gwich’in leaders gathering in Washington, D.C., 17 representatives from 7 villages from Alaska and Canada arrived on May 14th, 2022, for a week of meetings with Congressional offices and Administration officials to advocate for the protection of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the reversal of the 2017 drilling mandate through any Budget Reconciliation bill.
What Leaders and Advocates Are Saying
This historic decision has garnered widespread support from various Indigenous leaders and advocacy organizations.
Bernadette Dementieff, the Executive Director of the Gwich’in Steering Committee, shared:
“AIDEA’s leases were economically infeasible, unlawful, and threatened the Porcupine Caribou Herd and the Gwich’in way of life. We thank the Biden administration and Secretary of Interior Deb Haaland for taking this step towards protecting Iizhik Gwats’an Gwandaii Goodlit (The Sacred Place Where Life Begins), but we know that our sacred land is only temporarily safe from oil and gas development. We urge the administration and our leaders in Congress to repeal the oil and gas program and permanently protect the Arctic Refuge.” Read the full Gwich'in statement.
Helen Cherullo, Braided River Executive Director shared:
“With the cancelation of these leases, this decision serves as a beacon of hope; for the life and land of the Arctic Refuge, for the sovereignty of the Gwich’in and Inupiat communities, and for addressing the climate and biodiversity crisis of Planet Earth.”
What's Next?
While this announcement is a significant milestone, there's still work to be done to ensure the permanent protection of the Arctic Refuge. Advocacy for the Arctic Refuge through books, films, and media campaigns has been central to Braided River's work since our first book 20 years ago—Seasons of Life and Land: The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Advocacy efforts will continue, including calls on Congress to repeal the Arctic Refuge oil and gas leasing provision in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
What You Can Do
We encourage you to submit a comment through Protect the Arctic thanking President Biden and encouraging him to take further steps to insure permanent protection. This will be submitted officially to the Bureau of Land Management as part of a 45-day comment period assessing environmental impacts. We’re also expecting a 60-day comment period on new protection measures for the Western Arctic to be released shortly.
Stay Informed
As developments unfold, we'll keep you informed about the progress in safeguarding this precious ecosystem and upholding the rights of Indigenous Peoples. Your support and engagement are vital in this ongoing journey to protect our environment and address the climate crisis.
Thank you for being part of our community and for your commitment to preserving the Arctic's beauty and biodiversity.