Snow gently falling on the mountains, a grizzly bear nudging her cubs across a stream, a herd of caribou galloping across the tundra. Growing up in Alaska, these were all scenes that I had the privilege of experiencing. There is something surreal about being witness to the extraordinary natural world, and my time in the state left a permanent mark on my heart.

That’s why, when I learned that Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge was opened up to oil drilling, I was overwhelmed with emotion. This piece of land is one of the most incredible wild spaces in the country, remaining largely untouched by human activity. It is home to a dizzying array of wildlife, enough so that this coastal plain has come to be known as the “American Serengeti.”

Despite such distinction, Congress reversed decades of protection in 2017 and passed a provision that requires the Department of the Interior to offer at least two lease sales for oil and gas development in the coastal plain of the Refuge. This destructive policy places the wellbeing of countless species of animals at risk, as well as the timeless landscape.

While the Biden administration has placed a temporary halt on drilling plans, the north slope of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge should be off limits to drilling forever. Protecting our wild spaces is our responsibility as citizens, whether we’re in Alaska, Maine or anywhere in between.

Julia Geskey

field organizer

Environment Maine

Portland

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