Arctic National Wildlife Refuge — Blog — The National Wildlife Refuge Association

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

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Oil Companies Reject Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Lease Sale— A Victory for Wildlife Conservation, Indigenous Rights & the Planet

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Oil Companies Reject Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Lease Sale— A Victory for Wildlife Conservation, Indigenous Rights & the Planet

The congressionally mandated second lease sale for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (Arctic Refuge) was a total failure, with no bids received. This development reaffirms what has always been true: the Arctic Refuge is a place where wildlife and people come first, not drilling. For time immemorial, the Gwich’in and other Indigenous Peoples have depended on this land, and it remains a sanctuary for caribou, muskoxen, polar bears, millions of migratory birds, and countless other species. The future of the Arctic Refuge lies in its continued protection and stewardship— not as a site for exploitation. 

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Biden Administration Releases Record of Decision for Arctic Refuge Leasing Program and Announces Second Mandated Lease Sale in Crown Jewel of America’s Wildlife Refuge System

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Biden Administration Releases Record of Decision for Arctic Refuge Leasing Program and Announces Second Mandated Lease Sale in Crown Jewel of America’s Wildlife Refuge System

The Biden administration announced a Record of Decision (ROD) on the Arctic Refuge leasing program and that it will hold the second lease sale in the crown jewel of America’s National Wildlife Refuge System, as set out in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. This once again puts the coastal plain of the Refuge under threat from those most interested in profiting off of it.

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Biden Administration Cancels Oil & Gas Leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

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Biden Administration Cancels Oil & Gas Leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

In a momentous decision yesterday, the Biden administration announced the cancellation of the last remaining oil and gas leases on the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The announcement marked a significant victory for wildlife, the environment, and the Indigenous People who have tirelessly advocated for the conservation of this irreplaceable sanctuary.

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2022 Wildlife Refuge Awards— A Sneak Peek Of What's In Store!

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2022 Wildlife Refuge Awards— A Sneak Peek Of What's In Store!

We hope you will join us for our 2022 Wildlife Refuge Awards hosted in Washington D.C. and live-streamed on September 14th, 2022 starting at 7 pm ET. Check out a preview of the evening by watching the video!

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Canceled Lease In Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Proves Refuge Is Too Important To Destroy

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Canceled Lease In Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Proves Refuge Is Too Important To Destroy

The decades-long battle to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska has reached a milestone as yet another major oil company pulls its lease to drill for oil in the sensitive Coastal Plain ecosystem. Regenerate Alaska is now the third company to abandon its lease in addition to Chevron and Hilcorp who did less than a week earlier.

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House Passes Build Back Better : Includes Repeal Of Oil & Gas Program In Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

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House Passes Build Back Better : Includes Repeal Of Oil & Gas Program In Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

The House passed their historic Build Back Better bill, which includes billions of dollars to fund climate change solutions, including additional conservation on the ground, the creation of a Climate Conservation Corps, and, most importantly for the National Wildlife Refuge System, the repeal of the oil and gas leasing program in the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

TWS member Steve Berendzen named outstanding refuge manager

TWS member Steve Berendzen named outstanding refuge manager

TWS member Steve Berendzen, refuge manager at the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Complex in Alaska, received the 2021 outstanding refuge manager award from the National Wildlife Refuge Association.

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House Bill Proposes Repeal of Oil and Gas Program in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

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House Bill Proposes Repeal of Oil and Gas Program in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

The National Wildlife Refuge Association strongly supports the language released yesterday by the House of Representatives in their Build Back Better reconciliation bill that repeals the disastrous oil and gas development program on the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. This bill also buys back the leases that were improperly sold in January to ensure they will be canceled. The language included in the bill would repeal the creation of the oil and gas program included in the 2017 Tax Act, repeal the addition of an oil and gas program as a “purpose of the refuge”, and buy back the leases sold in the last minute sale before the change of administrations.

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National Wildlife Refuge Association Supports House Reconciliation Language That Would Reverse Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Drilling Program

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National Wildlife Refuge Association Supports House Reconciliation Language That Would Reverse Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Drilling Program

The Natural Resources Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives passed their portion of the budget reconciliation package that is being drafted in both chambers of Congress. The committee’s bill included a repeal of the oil and gas leasing program on the Arctic National WIldlife Refuge in Alaska and a buy-back of the existing leases. This language will now be included in the full reconciliation bill and voted on by the full House of Representatives.

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Oil Lease Sales Halted For Now In Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

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Oil Lease Sales Halted For Now In Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

The Biden Administration announced the suspension of oil drilling leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The Trump Administration finalized these leases on January 19, 2021, the day before inauguration. The National Wildlife Refuge Association is thrilled with this decision: the Arctic Refuge is one of the largest tracts of untouched wilderness and most ecologically diverse areas in the United States and should not be destroyed in exchange for the pittance received from the January lease sale.