Sen. Udall Blasts Trump Administration’s Rushed Draft Environmental Impact Statement on Leasing in Arctic Refuge

Fears loom that every inch of Arctic will be negatively impacted if plan is implemented. Malkolm Boothroyd/ malkolmboothroyd.com

Published December 22, 2018

Udall: Trump Administration Pulling Out the Stops to Sell Off the Arctic Refuge

WASHINGTON — On Thursday, U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.), the vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and ranking member on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee for Interior and Environment, released the following statement after the Trump administration announced the completion of a rushed draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on drilling in the Arctic Refuge:

Vice Chair of the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Tom Udall – D – New Mexico

“The Trump administration has pulled out all the stops to try and sell off the Arctic Refuge as soon as possible, including rushing through a draft environmental impact statement that cannot possibly take into account the full and devastating impacts that drilling would have on this fragile and stunning wilderness. At every step in this process, the administration and its allies in Congress have ignored public opinion and science, shut out Tribal and expert input, and tried to force through deeply unpopular drilling that would likely destroy the Arctic Refuge. From sneaking the drilling provision into a budget reconciliation package, to today’s badly insufficient and incomplete environmental impact statement with abbreviated time for public comment, this process has been a special interest-driven sham that threatens to ruin one of America’s last truly wild places. But this fight isn’t over, and I will keep working in Congress to protect the Arctic, as it is today, for generations to come.”