No seismic exploration in Arctic Refuge this winter
Department of the Interior announces no seismic exploration in the coastal plain
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA (February 7, 2019) – An official from the U.S. Department of the Interior has confirmed that SAExploration will no longer proceed with destructive seismic operations on the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge this winter. In response, The Wilderness Society issued the following statement from Arctic Program Director Lois Epstein, an Alaska-licensed engineer:
“This is good news for denning polar bears and those who believe the Arctic Refuge coastal plain deserves to be protected from oil exploration and development. The Trump administration cannot simply rush through the process of reviewing the negative impacts to wildlife and the landscape of seismic operations in the Arctic Refuge.
“Polls show the majority of Americans want the Arctic Refuge to be protected for future generations, and even major banks have announced they will not finance drilling or exploration,” Epstein added. “The message to industry is obvious: Drilling in the Arctic Refuge is an unpopular, unnecessary and damaging venture. It’s just bad for business.”
CONTACTS:
- Tim Woody, (907) 223-2443, tim_woody@tws.org
- Lois Epstein, (907) 748-0448, lois_epstein@tws.org
The Wilderness Society is the leading conservation organization working to protect wilderness and inspire Americans to care for our wild places. Founded in 1935, and now with more than one million members and supporters, The Wilderness Society has led the effort to permanently protect 109 million acres of wilderness and to ensure sound management of our shared national lands. www.wilderness.org.
