Native American Groups Support Reassessment of Alaskan Wildlife Refuge Rules

Several Native American organizations have expressed satisfaction that government leaders are pushing back against regulations set by former President Joe Biden regarding the management of wildlife refuges in Alaska.

This concern is particularly focused on the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), as noted in a report from Fox News.

As mentioned by Breitbart News, Biden sought to block oil and gas leasing in the region before leaving office, setting the stage for potential changes under President Donald Trump following the upcoming election.

Fox News reported that, on Thursday night, the Senate approved a resolution from Rep. Nick Begich (R-Alaska). This resolution employs the Congressional Review Act to officially revoke a Biden-era rule restricting development on over 1 million acres in areas primarily inhabited by Native communities, such as Kaktovik.

Democrats appear to be wary that widening access to ANWR for energy exploration might harm local Alaskan communities, according to the Fox article.

On the other hand, organizations representing residents near evacuation centers expressed their support for the resolution. In a Thursday press release, they highlighted their approval:

Voice of the Arctic Inupiat (VOICE) and its members are thrilled that the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives have jointly passed a resolution using the Congressional Review Act to challenge the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) 2024 Record of Determination for the Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Lease Program in ANWR.

The 2024 Record of Determination was created without adequate consultation with tribes representing the North Slope Inupiat and Alaska Native Corporations. The North Slope Inupiat tribe has been stewards of this land for over 10,000 years, and a majority of elected Iñupiat leaders have voiced their opposition to the BLM’s flawed policy. In 2017, VOICE’s Board, which includes many local elected officials, unanimously supported responsible development in ANWR’s coastal plain.

“This Congressional resolution indicates that decision-makers are backing our Iñupiaq self-determination,” said Nagluk Harchalek, President and CEO of VOICE. “After years of an unbalanced relationship with Congress, our community feels cautiously hopeful following this vote, which is backed by local leaders in their indigenous homeland.”

According to Breitbart News, President Trump took action in October to overturn a Biden decision concerning the Ambler Road, which would facilitate access to the mining area in northern Alaska.

He stated, “This was supposed to be in operation for a long time, potentially making billions for our country, providing vast amounts of energy and minerals. Yet, it was stalled, wasting time and resources, and now we’re at a standstill again.”

In a 2021 report, it was noted that Congress had effectively paused development in ANWR since 1980.

“The fossil fuel industry has advocated for opening ANWR, citing new technologies like directional drilling and ice roads as means to reduce environmental impacts,” the article noted. “Local Iñupiat Alaska Native communities and the state government appear to support these oil and gas initiatives; however, environmental advocates highlight concerns over the migratory porcupine caribou that rely on the coastal plain for calving.”