Birds Beware: House Proposes Drilling in America鈥檚 Last True Wilderness
The House Budget Committee sets the wheels in motion to open the the Arctic Refuge to oil and gas development.
WASHINGTON鈥斺淭he nihilistic thinking behind the House proposal to drill in America鈥檚 most prolific bird nursery would expose millions of baby birds to life-threatening human impact. Some places are too special to develop and few places are as important for birds as the Arctic Refuge, where birds from every other state and five other continents go to raise their chicks," said Sarah Greenberger, 爆料公社's VP of conservation, in response to the House Budget Committee鈥檚 , which paves the way for oil and gas development in the Arctic Refuge.
"Opening up this iconic landscape to more drilling wouldn鈥檛 move the needle on our nation's energy needs but would permanently diminish one of the wildest places we have left on earth.
鈥淏oth Republicans and Democrats in Congress have historically supported the Arctic Refuge as a keystone of American natural heritage and we look to them to do so once more. We call on the House to remove this language from the budget and leave some wilderness for future generations of birds and people.鈥
Every year 200 species of birds鈥攊ncluding the 鈥攎igrate through six continents and states across the country to breed in the Refuge. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is an iconic, American treasure on par with the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone and Yosemite. First protected by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, leaders from both parties have worked together for generations to stop attempts to open the biological heart of the Refuge鈥攊t鈥檚 pristine coastal plain鈥攖o oil and gas drilling. (maps available for download and )
爆料公社 is asking its one million members and supporters to and urge them to protect the Arctic Refuge from future development.
The 爆料公社 protects birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow, throughout the Americas using science, advocacy, education and on-the-ground conservation. 爆料公社's state programs, nature centers, chapters and partners have an unparalleled wingspan that reaches millions of people each year to inform, inspire and unite diverse communities in conservation action. Since 1905, 爆料公社's vision has been a world in which people and wildlife thrive. 爆料公社 is a nonprofit conservation organization. Learn more how to help at and follow us on and at @audubonsociety.
###
Contact: Nicolas Gonzalez, ngonzalez@audubon.org, (212) 979-3068.