Potus Continues To Lessen Western Arctic Protections As Drilling Threat Looms

The following is courtesy of Grandmothers Growing Business and Sovereign Inupiat for a Living Arctic:

Grandmothers Growing Goodness, Sovereign Inupiat for a Living Arctic Denounce The Trump Administration’s Next Step to Repeal Protections for Indigenous Communities, Wildlife, and Lands in the Western Arctic 

(Nuiqsut, Alaska)– Today, the Trump administration took another step towards repealing protections for 13 million acres in the Western Arctic. These safeguards were finalized last year to protect the food security, cultural traditions, and health of communities on the North Slope from expanded oil and gas development. They were developed alongside robust input from scientists and wildlife experts, Indigenous communities who live in harmony with these lands and the wildlife they support, and supportive comments from more than two hundred thousand people across the country. 

“Repealing these protections would blatantly disregard Indigenous communities and our way of life,” said Rosemary Ahtuangaruak, Executive Director of Grandmothers Growing Goodness. “The special areas safeguards help sustain Native Communities, sacred lands, and wildlife in the Western Arctic from oil and gas development. The people on the North Slope have and will remain unified to protect our way of life. We have stewarded these lands for millennia and spoken out time and time again to advocate for their long-term protection. We are steadfast in our commitment to protecting the Western Arctic for generations to come.” 

Nauri Simmonds, Executive Director of Sovereign Inupiat for a Living Arctic, added, “This administration is making history in all the wrong ways.  When looking at the larger picture, the industry has gotten what it wants on our lands.  It’s all important, but we are now watching the most critical pieces that need protection, which our grandparents insisted must not be harmed, be traded for a bit of convenience for the oil and gas giants.  It’s heartbreaking in the most profound way.”

The repeal of these protections would have devastating consequences for the environment, wildlife, and the Indigenous communities that rely on protections for this region, specifically around Teshekpuk Lake. Teshekpuk Lake and its surroundings are vital for the Teshekpuk Caribou Herd, providing calving grounds, summer habitat, and migration routes. The area is also integral to Indigenous subsistence practices, supporting hunting, fishing, and gathering. 

About Grandmothers Growing Goodness

Grandmothers Growing Goodness is dedicated to protecting the environment and promoting the well-being of Indigenous communities in the Arctic.

About Sovereign Inupiat for a Living Arctic

Sovereign Inupiat for a Living Arctic works to defend the rights of Inupiat people and ensure the protection of the Arctic’s natural and cultural resources.