Ellen Montgomery
Director, Public Lands Campaign, Environment America Research & Policy Center
STATEMENT: President Biden protects 13 million acres of wildlife habitat
Media Contacts
WASHINGTON – The Biden administration finalized a rule Friday which protects 13 million acres — an area larger than the state of Maryland —from oil and gas drilling in the Western Arctic. The rule also establishes a process for expanding and creating new “special areas,” so even more critical habitats can be conserved in the future.
In this region, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages 23 million acres of public land. 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.
In response, Environment America Research & Policy Center released the following statements:
“This is incredible. President Biden and Secretary Haaland have just protected the largest acreage of critical land that we’ve seen in decades. This huge wild place will be able to remain wild, said Ellen Montgomery, Environment America Research & Policy Center Public Lands Campaign director. “Even more exciting is the path to protect additional wildlife habitats in the Western Arctic going forward. This rule moves the administration significantly closer to their goal of protecting 30% of our most important lands and waters by 2030. Youth activists whose voices have elevated the need to protect this area are now more likely to live on a planet with caribou herds, polar bears, belugas and thousands of birds who call this place home.”
“Protecting 13 million acres in the Western Arctic is a good decision. Due to changing ice patterns and insect seasons, we’re seeing caribou herds declining around the circumpolar north, including here in Alaska, said Dyani Chapman, Alaska Environment Research & Policy Center state director. “Those declines are bad for the ecosystem and bad for subsistence hunters. Experts are clear – the best thing we can do for our caribou and other Arctic wildlife is protect and preserve ample habitat. Alaska’s economy will inevitably change as time goes by, and putting these protections in place now will make our future richer in the things that matter most.”