In Alaska
Interior Rescinds Protections in the Western Arctic
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Date: November 13, 2025 Contact: Anja Semanco | 724-967-2777 | anja@alaskawild.org In response to today’s Department of the Interior announcement rescinding the 2024 Bureau of Land Management rule governing Special Areas in the Western Arctic, Monica Scherer, senior director of campaigns at Alaska Wilderness League, released the following statement: “Today’s actions make one thing painfully clear:…
Read MoreSam Kolton: A Personal Connection to Public Lands
From the moment my mom, brother and I first stepped onto the coastal plain, I was mind blown by the peacefulness of this rugged terrain. The mountain ranges stared back at me, while the thick, grassy terrain comforted me like a cozy mattress. As the brisk and cool Arctic air hit my face, I couldn’t help but feel inspired by the area around me. My whole life, I watched from a distance as my father worked passionately and tirelessly to protect the Refuge from oil and gas lease sales. Now it was my turn.
Read MoreSenate Vote Shows Government Open for the Oil Industry, Closed for People
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Date: October 30, 2025 Contact: Anja Semanco | 724-967-2777 | anja@alaskawild.org Senate Vote Shows Government Open for the Oil Industry, Closed for People Washington, D.C.— In a move that threatens key protections in Alaska’s Western Arctic, the U.S. Senate today passed S.J. Resolution 80 by a vote of 52-45, which would disallow President Biden’s Record of Decision (ROD) for the National Petroleum Reserve–Alaska. The bill, sponsored by Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK), still requires a final vote in…
Read MoreWhat Public Lands will Alaska Have Left Once Trump is Through with Them?
In just nine months, Trump has taken brash and inconceivable moves to open Alaska’s public lands to industrialization. From roads that could rip through Gates of the Arctic National Park, to opening the Arctic Refuge’s coastal plain to drilling, and offering up Special Areas on a buffet table to oil and gas companies, it’s clear…
Read MoreAlaska Wilderness League Condemns President Trump’s Attack On Alaska During the Government Shutdown
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Date: October 23, 2025 Contact: Anja Semanco | 724-967-2777 | anja@alaskawild.org Alaska Wilderness League Condemns President Trump’s Attack On Alaska During the Government Shutdown Washington, D.C.—Following today’s announcement by Secretary Burgum related to Alaska actions, Alaska Wilderness League Executive Director Kristen Miller issued the following statement: “The Arctic Refuge is the crown jewel of our public lands system. During a government shutdown, when everyday Americans are left…
Read MoreStatement from Alaska Wilderness League on BLM’s Call for Nominations in the Western Arctic
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Date: October 21, 2025 Contact: Anja Semanco | 724-967-2777 | anja@alaskawild.org Statement from Alaska Wilderness League on BLM’s Call for Nominations in the Western Arctic Washington, D.C.—In response to today’s announcement that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is issuing a call for nominations and comments on an upcoming 2025 Western Arctic Oil and Gas Lease Sale, Andy Moderow, senior director of policy…
Read MoreAmerica First? Not When Public Lands Are Being Used to Profit a Foreign Company.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Date: October 6, 2025 Contact: Anja Semanco | 724-967-2777 | anja@alaskawild.org ANCHORAGE, ALASKA — Alaska Wilderness League strongly condemns the Trump administration’s attempted reversal of the Ambler Road Project. This 211-mile industrial corridor would carve through Alaska’s pristine wilderness, threatening wildlife, communities, and public lands. In response, Alaska Wilderness League State Director Maddie Halloran released the following statement: “Why is the federal…
Read MoreTongass and Chugach at Risk: Public Speaks Out Against Roadless Rule Repeal
We recently saw the close of the public comment period on the Trump administration’s proposed rollback of the Roadless Rule, a cornerstone of U.S. forest conservation. In just three weeks, more than 600,000 Americans submitted comments urging the administration to leave the Rule in place—a remarkable show of support that underscores how deeply people across the country care about public…
Read MoreCongress Wants to Hand the Western Arctic Back to Big Oil
The Western Arctic is one of the last vast, wild places left in America. It’s home to caribou herds that travel hundreds of miles to calve, millions of migratory birds from across the globe, and Alaska Native communities who have lived off these lands for generations. At 23 million acres, the National Petroleum Reserve–Alaska (more warmly known as the…
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