Ellen Montgomery
Director, Public Lands Campaign, Environment America
The Arctic Refuge has been abandoned, for now, by oil companies. Will Congress act to protect it before they return?
Cover photo credit: Pacific Loon reflection by Malkolm Boothroyd
As of this month, there are no oil companies holding drilling leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. This is good news for the arctic and for our work to protect all of our special places from oil drilling.
The Arctic Refuge is home to endangered polar bears and the magnificent 200,000-strong Porcupine Caribou herd, visited by millions of migratory birds from all 50 states and six continents, and a ward against climate change–thanks to all the carbon stored in the refuge’s permafrost.
Tell Congress: The Arctic isn't for drilling
Ellen runs campaigns to protect America's beautiful places, from local beachfronts to remote mountain peaks. She sits on the Steering Committee of the Arctic Defense Campaign and co-coordinates the Climate Forests Campaign. Ellen previously worked as the organizing director for Environment America’s Climate Defenders campaign and managed grassroots campaign offices across the country. Ellen lives in Denver, where she likes to hike in Colorado's mountains.