Bureau of Land Management releases Notice of Intent to create Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for Arctic Refuge

August 3, 2021

Today, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management released a Notice of Intent to create a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the 2019 Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program Environmental Impact Statement. 

This is a step towards hopefully identifying, and rectifying, the gaping deficiencies of the previous Environmental Impact Statement, released in September 2019, and begins a 60-day public scoping period. Comments on impacts, issues, and alternatives can be submitted to the Bureau of Land Management to be included in the SEIS. 

While we are pleased to see this, it implies a leasing program would continue for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. This critical area for the Porcupine caribou herd requires permanent protection and the United States Congress has an opportunity to take a step in that direction by repealing the leasing program from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. 

Press Statement from the Gwich’in Steering Committee

Press Statement from the Sovereign Iñupiat for a Living Arctic

Full Notice of Intent

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Contact

Adil Darvesh, CPAWS Yukon Communications Coordinator

adarvesh@cpawsyukon.org | 647-984-6067