Press Release: GOP Appropriations Bill for Department of Interior Targets Fossil-Fuel Extraction in Alaska, States

 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

July 13, 2023 

Contact: Aileo Weinmann | 202-538-5038 | aileo@alaskawild.org 

GOP Appropriations Bill for Department of Interior Targets Fossil-Fuel Extraction in Alaska, States 
“The Department of Interior should not be handcuffed in its ability to deploy clean energy jobs and projects elsewhere in Alaska.” 

Washington, D.C. – Today, Republicans in the House of Representatives introduced an appropriations bill that would recklessly expedite fossil-fuel extraction on America’s public lands and waters in Alaska and other states.  

In particular, the GOP bill would:  

• Require oil and gas lease sales immediately upon completion of scoping, public comment, and environmental review. 

• Open up as much land as possible for oil and gas leasing under the Mineral Leasing Act. 

• Require four lease sales annually in Alaska and any other state with federal oil or gas, and require additional rushed lease sales if the first sale isn’t a big enough oil and gas industry giveaway. 

• Mandate any land parcel nominated must be offered for sale to oil and gas extraction. 

Statement by Alex Cohen, Legislative Director, Alaska Wilderness League:  

“With deadly heat waves, historic flooding, choking wildfire smoke and superheated ocean temperatures, it’s clear we cannot afford to drill first and ask questions later,” said Alex Cohen, legislative director of Alaska Wilderness League. “If enacted, these prehistoric oil and gas lease provisions would lock America’s Arctic into decades of unnecessary fossil-fuel projects, erasing our chances of meeting the goals necessary to avoid climate catastrophe. The Department of Interior should not be handcuffed in its ability to deploy clean energy jobs and projects elsewhere in Alaska, made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act.” 

Photo Credit: Kiliii Yuyan