President Biden Finalizes Record of Decision for the Arctic Refuge   

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
Date: 12/9/2024 
Contact: Anja Semanco | anja@alaskawild.org | 724-967-2777 

President Biden Finalizes Record of Decision for the Arctic Refuge  
 

Washington, D.C. — Today, the Biden administration released the legally mandated leasing Record of Decision (ROD) and Notice of Lease Sale for the Coastal Plain region of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. This marks the second lease sale required under the 2017 Tax Act, targeting one of the nation’s most ecologically sensitive and culturally significant landscapes. 

The administration’s decision reassesses the environmental impacts of oil and gas development in the Arctic Refuge and puts 400,000 acres of pristine wilderness up for bidding at a minimum price of $30 per acre. This move comes despite widespread opposition from the Gwich’in Nation, Iñupiat allies, and the majority of Americans, who stand firmly against drilling in the sacred Coastal Plain. 

“Pursuing oil and gas development in the Arctic Refuge is an unthinkable gamble that risks a pristine ecosystem and cultural homeland with irreversible destruction. It also comes at an exorbitant financial and reputational price for any company short-sighted enough to bid,” said Kristen Miller, Executive Director of Alaska Wilderness League. “The Arctic Refuge deserves to remain a place of refuge, not an industrial oilfield lining the pockets of big oil executives.” 

The risks to this globally important ecosystem—coupled with the cost of drilling one of the most expensive and beloved regions in the world—make it clear that responsible companies are unlikely to pursue such ventures. The first mandated Arctic Refuge lease sale was a failure, generating less than 1% of the projected revenue promised to American taxpayers. Despite this, the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) has signaled its intent to bid—in stark contrast to the widespread opposition by millions both within Alaska and across the country. 

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is the only refuge in the United States with an oil and gas drilling purpose—a stark anomaly in the country’s conservation framework. For decades, an overwhelming majority of Americans have stood up against oil and gas development in the nation’s largest and wildest Refuge, which serves as a sanctuary for wildlife and Indigenous communities.  

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Photo credit: Florian Schulz / Protect The Arctic