CPAWS Yukon renews call for permanent protection of Arctic Refuge following U.S. nomination for oil and gas

February 10, 2026

Whitehorse, Yukon – The Yukon Chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS Yukon) is once again renewing calls for permanent protection of sensitive caribou calving grounds in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Last week, the U.S. Department of Interior’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) began the process of accepting land tract nominations for their oil and gas leasing program on the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, triggering a 30-day public comment period. This nomination and comment period is a step towards identifying plots of land on the Coastal Plain for oil and gas development and would be the third instance of nominations, with the first two resulting in flop lease sales.

CPAWS Yukon stands in solidarity with Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation, Gwich’in Steering Committee, and numerous Alaskan organizations in denouncing this poorly planned and rushed process.

The Coastal Plain of the Arctic Refuge is home to numerous sensitive ecosystems, including the calving grounds of the Porcupine Caribou Herd, whose transboundary migration is so crucial that the United States and Canada agreed to work towards conservation through the “Agreement between the Government of Canada and the Government of the United States on the Conservation of the Porcupine Caribou Herd” in 1987.

The Trump administration’s reckless decisions to force lease sales within the Arctic Refuge ignores previously established international treaties, environmental protections, and the voices of numerous Indigenous Nations, Canadians, and Americans.

As the 30-day public comment period continues, CPAWS Yukon is urging the public to go on the record and highlight the importance of the Arctic Refuge and say no to oil and gas in the calving grounds of the Porcupine Caribou Herd. Comments can be emailed to BLM_AKSO_AK932_AKLeasesales@blm.gov.

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Contact
Laurence Fox, Campaigns Coordinator, CPAWS Yukon
lfox@cpawsyukon.org | 867-393-8080 x3

Background

Canada-United States agreement on porcupine caribou herd conservation

In 2017, the Trump administration used the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs bill to sneak in a provision to open the Arctic Refuge’s Coastal Plains for oil and gas leasing

Yukon government, alongside Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation, and Gwich’in Tribal Council call for the protection of the Porcupine Caribou Herd

In 2019, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management released a flawed and rushed Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), selecting the most aggressive oil and gas leasing alternative

In 2020, CPAWS Yukon, alongside the Gwich’in Steering Committee and environmental groups, joined a lawsuit against the Trump administration for this flawed and rushed EIS

All “Big Five” Canadian banks pledge not to fund oil and gas development projects in the Arctic Refuge that would harm the health of the Porcupine Caribou Herd

With the election of President Biden, the U.S. paused the oil and gas leasing program and underwent a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) to address the gaping deficiencies from the previous administraiton, pausing the lawsuit brought forth by the Gwich’in Steering Committee and environmental groups

In October 2025, the new Trump administration decided to choose the most aggressive leasing option in the SEIS – in opposition to the previous administration. As a result, in January 2026, the paused lawsuit was reengaged with some amendments