Biden Administration Secures Multiple Protections For Alaska
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 28, 2024
Contact: Anja Semanco | anja@alaskawild.org | 724-967-2777
Biden Administration Secures Multiple Protections For Alaska
Washington D.C. – Today, the Biden administration announced a set of measures aimed at protecting millions of acres of Alaska, marking the next step toward securing prosperity for local Alaskan communities by preserving intact public lands and wildlife for future generations.
These actions are critical for our nation to achieve the goals set by America the Beautiful. This initiative aims to conserve, connect and restore at least 30 percent of U.S. land, water and ocean by 2030 to avoid large-scale species loss, increase equitable access to nature’s benefits and prevent increasingly worse impacts of the climate crisis for everyone.
“Today’s announcement demonstrates the Biden administration’s embrace of Alaska-sized opportunities for land protection and conservation,” said Kristen Miller, executive director of Alaska Wilderness League. “Alaska’s lands and waters face the dual threat of climate change and biodiversity loss, and protecting these landscapes requires today’s foresight and large-scale protections. From the lush temperate rainforests of Southeast Alaska to the remote reaches beyond the Arctic Circle, this announcement marks a monumental step in preserving biodiversity and securing essential subsistence resources vital to countless communities.”
The Biden administration’s most recent Alaska accomplishments include the release of the Record of Decision for the Ambler mining road, solidifying the selection of the “No Action Alternative” by the Biden administration. The proposed 211-mile corridor, fiercely opposed by Tribal and national stakeholders, posed a significant threat of industrial encroachment within a culturally and globally significant 100-million-acre roadless expanse.
Moreover, under the Biden administration’s stewardship, the Bureau of Land Management has finalized a plan to retain all D-1 withdrawals, effectively protecting more than 28 million acres of the nation’s most ecologically diverse and wild public lands from extractive industries.
Today’s announcement underscores the Biden administration’s unwavering commitment to conservation, community resilience and the protection of Alaska’s unparalleled natural heritage.
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