Rudhdi Karnik, rudhdi.karnik@sierraclub.org, 978-289-7530
Washington, DC - The Senate Budget Committee today released a budget resolution that opens the door to drilling in the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and also provides tax cuts to corporate polluters at the expense of public health and communities across the nation.
The resolution includes instructions to the Energy and Natural Resources Committee to generate $1 billion over 10 years for the federal budget, instructions that will likely lead to drilling for oil in the Arctic Refuge. By using the budget reconciliation process, protections for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge can be overturned by a simple majority vote. Additionally, the proposed budget relies on unspecified non-discretionary defense cuts totaling $893 billion over ten years. The fact that Republicans declined to allocate these cuts to specific government activities and programs such as veterans’ benefits and services, transportation, income security, health care, EPA, Department of Interior, or any other important government functions shows how unrealistic these cuts actually are.
This newest threat to the Arctic Refuge follows the confirmation of Joseph Balash as Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Land and Minerals Management. Balash attempted to open the Arctic Refuge to drilling during his tenure as Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Natural Resources. It also follows a memo from the Trump Administration attempting to open the Arctic Refuge to seismic testing, the first step toward drilling.
In response Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune issued the following statement:
“There are some things that should be off-limits, including our children’s health and our country’s last great wild places. If people’s health and places like the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge aren’t safe from budget politics, then nothing is safe.
“We call on members of Congress to say no to Arctic drilling and no to this or any budget proposal that will put children’s health across the nation at risk. Congress must reject any budget reconciliation bill that includes drilling in America’s Arctic Refuge or cuts to programs that protect health and our communities. We can not allow a misguided zeal to drill to override the promise of a healthy future for our communities, complete with the promise of the wild. ”
###
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3 million members and supporters. In addition to helping people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.