Despite Bipartisan Opposition, Senate Passes Resolution That Removes Arctic Refuge Protections

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
Date: December 4, 2025 
Contact: Anja Semanco | 724-967-2777 | anja@alaskawild.org 

Despite Bipartisan Opposition, Senate Passes Resolution That Removes Arctic Refuge Protections

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the U.S. Senate passed a Congressional Review Act (H.J.Res. 131) resolution that attempts to reduce protections for the Arctic Refuge, by a vote of 49 – 45. Despite this outcome, bipartisan opposition to Arctic Refuge drilling remained strong, with Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) voting with the entire Democratic caucus against the resolution.  

“While we are deeply disappointed by the final vote, we’re grateful to see bipartisan support from lawmakers who stood up for the Refuge and upheld a longstanding, cross-party legacy of protecting this truly incredible place,” said Andy Moderow, senior director of policy at Alaska Wilderness League. “America’s public lands – including the iconic Arctic Refuge – shouldn’t be on the shortlist for a public land selloff to the oil and gas industry. We’ll continue fighting the management chaos brought by today’s vote in favor of actions that respect the Arctic Refuge for what it actually is: a national wildlife refuge, and not an oilfield.” 

At 1.6 million acres, the coastal plain of the Arctic Refuge is one of the last intact ecosystems of its kind and serves as the calving grounds for the Porcupine Caribou herd. The Trump administration’s 2020 leasing program sought to open the entire coastal plain to oil and gas development, despite overwhelming scientific evidence, widespread opposition from Tribal nations, and clear conflicts with the Refuge’s conservation mandates. 

Recognizing these flaws, the Biden administration’s 2024 ROD replaced the Trump-era program with a more protective approach, in an attempt to balance the 2017 Tax Act requirements with conservation obligations for the landscape. 

Today’s vote erases the 2024 ROD and may prevent federal agencies from making management shifts in the future.   

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