Every year, countless numbers of birds hatched in the vibrant tundra and wetlands of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge migrate across each of the 50 states to their wintering grounds.
The astonishing habitat of the Arctic Refuge supports nesting birds such as Tundra Swans, Sandhill Cranes, Snowy Owls, Golden Eagles, a multitude of songbirds, and more. The biological heart of the Refuge—and vital nesting ground for these birds—is a 1.5-million-acre region between the Arctic Ocean and the mountains, known as the coastal plain. But the threat of oil and gas drilling has hung over the coastal plain for decades.
The pressure to drill for oil and gas continues to threaten the Refuge. Multiple bills introduced this Congress would open the coastal plain to drilling, which would create a spider web of infrastructure, eliminate crucial habitat, and risk a devastating oil spill. Some places are too special to drill.
Last year, President Obama called on Congress to protect the Arctic Refuge as Wilderness. That designation benefits the Refuge and the vast array of wildlife and Alaska Native communities that depend on it. It’s time for Congress to act.
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