Dear Director Stone-Manning,
I first want to commend you and President Biden for canceling the remaining oil and gas leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. It is an important first step in protecting the Gwich'in People, polar bears, caribou, and other iconic wildlife that live on the coastal plain.
I am writing today in response to your draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the refuge leasing program. I urge you to fully consider the impacts that any future oil and gas development would have on the Gwich'in People and the wildlife that make their home in the refuge. While the draft SEIS has made some improvements in protecting the refuge, it is not enough. Further protections must be put in place to safeguard this sacred place.
For instance, the SEIS does not acknowledge the cultural harms that would be inflicted on the Gwich'in People if the oil and gas leasing program goes forward. It also does not grant strong enough protections for the porcupine caribou herd that the Gwich'in Nation relies upon for cultural survival and food security.
It is imperative that the SEIS evaluate all aspects of potential oil and gas impacts to lands, water, wildlife, communities, and climate in this sacred area – both now and into the future.
Sincerely,
[Name]
