Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation, Gwich’in Tribal Council and First Nation of Na-cho Nyӓk Dun carry united message to Washington D.C. regarding permanent protections of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

As Gwich’in we are intimately connected to Vadzaih; our fates are intertwined. It is critical that the Government of the United States acknowledge that what happens in the Coastal Plain of Alaska has implications for our Nation, and for user communities on both sides of the border. We will continue to use every opportunity we can to express our concerns regarding drilling in the Coastal Plain and to international commitments to protect the Porcupine caribou are fulfilled. As we have done for decades, we will continue to work collectively with the Parties of the Porcupine Caribou Management Agreement to protect the herd and its habitat for future generations.

—Chief Pauline Frost, Vuntut Gwitchin Government

Proposed oil and gas development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge presents an existential threat to the Gwich’in and our way of life and future generations. The Porcupine Caribou is of central significance to our people. The Gwich’in are not simply stakeholders - we are rightsholders by virtue of our modern treaties with the Government of Canada and the Governments of the Yukon and Northwest Territories. Over 50% of our lands in the Gwich’in Settlement Region are protected from any development due to our robust land use planning and special management areas which are a leading practice amongst Indigenous Nations in North America, and we expect our model, values and approach to protecting our North and sensitive areas to be emulated by Congress.

—Grand Chief Ken Kyikavichik, Gwich’in Tribal Council

Na-cho Nyӓk Dun has for many years worked towards protection of the Porcupine Caribou and the birth place of their calves on coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, we must ensure the circle of life can continue.

—Chief Dawna Hope, First Nation of Na-cho Nyӓk Dun

Together we brought a strong message to US Government for protection of Indigenous rights and values that contemplate our relationship to the water, land, and animals. We shared the importance of Indigenous perspectives and community consultation with the areas that are directly affected from development. We are the voice and the messengers for the Caribou, and I was honored to be a part of this journey with my fellow colleagues and our neighbouring leaders.

—Councillor Helaina Moses, First Nation of Na-cho Nyӓk Dun

• In 2017, the Trump Administration passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act which mandates two lease sales in the Refuge’s Coastal Plain for oil and gas development ‘by not later than 10 years after the date of enactment’.
• Following this, the Trump Administration rushed towards development, completing an Environmental Impact Statement (“EIS”) and the multi-step lease sale process before holding a lease sale on January 6, 2021. Nine leases, for over 400,000 acres of the Refuge were issued to the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA), Knik Arm Services LLC and Regenerate Alaska Inc.
• The first lease sale generated $14.4 million in initial bids— with actual revenue now standing at $9.7 million or a mere 0.54% of the projections made in 2017.
• On his first day in office, President Biden signed an Executive Order which placed a temporary moratorium on all oil and natural gas leasing activities in the Refuge and in June 2021, the Department of Interior suspended the leases in the Refuge pending a comprehensive analysis of environmental impacts.
• Since this time, Knik Arm Services LLC and Regenerate Alaska Inc. cancelled their leases and the Department of Interior cancelled the remaining leases held by AIDEA acknowledging that the 2021 lease sale was seriously flawed and based on a number of legal deficiencies.

• Following their first bilateral meeting in 2021, President Biden and Prime Minister Trudeau released the “Roadmap for a Renewed U.S. – Canada Partnership” within which they recognized the importance of the Refuge and “agreed to work together to help safeguard the Porcupine caribou herd calving grounds that are invaluable to the Gwich’in and Inuvialuit people’s culture and subsistence.”
• In 2022, Chevron and Hillcorp abandoned their interests in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge paying Arctic Slope Regional Corporation to exit their legacy leases on a small tract of land owned by the Alaska Native corporation. These leases were originally held by BP and Chevron since the 1980s when the oil companies drilled the only test well in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, the results of which were never released.
• All major banks in the U.S. and Canada are among the more than two dozen banks around the world that have announced they will not fund any new oil and gas development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and more than 20 international insurers have said they would not insure any drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
• Partners of the Porcupine Caribou Management Agreement, including the governments of Canada, Yukon, Northwest Territories, Vuntut Gwitchin, Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in, the Gwich’in Tribal Council and the Inuvialuit Game Council, have stated that drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is not sustainable for long-term health of the Porcupine caribou herd and remain committed to the goal of permanent protection for the sacred calving grounds for Porcupine caribou in this region of Alaska.
• The BLM is currently undertaking a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) process for the Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program. A public comment period on the Draft SEIS closed on November 7, 2023 and the Final SEIS is anticipated in 2024.
• On December 6, 2023, H.R. 6285 Alaska’s Right to Produce Act, introduced by Representatives Bill Stauber to reverse the Biden Administration’s lease cancelations in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, passed the House Committee on Natural Resources. It is expected that this bill will progress to the floor of the House of Representatives.