Virtual hearing: Proposed rule on management and protection of the Western Arctic Reserve in Alaska

In the northwest corner of Alaska, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages 23 million acres of public land, the Western Arctic reserve. This wild place is home to walruses, seals, polar bears, and caribou. Beluga whales swim in its coves and millions of migratory birds visit the shorelines and lakes. Five areas including lakes, wetlands, rivers, and bays have been designated as “special areas,” because of their unique environmental values.

The BLM is proposing a new rule to determine how the Western Arctic reserve and its special areas will be managed in the future. This rule has the potential to protect more than 10 million acres from oil and gas drilling as well as creating a process for protecting even more land in the future. The BLM is accepting public comments on their proposal until Nov. 17.

Join Environment America Research & Policy Center and our partners for a virtual public hearing on Nov. 2 at 8:00 p.m. eastern time / 4:00 p.m. Alaska time.

We invite all participants to provide a verbal public comment, which will be recorded and submitted to the BLM for the official record. We’ll also provide resources for submitting written comments.