Washington, D.C.–In response to the Department of the Interior’s announcement to protect 28 million acres of lands in Alaska, the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) released the following statement from Conservation Program Director, America Fitzpatrick:

“LCV applauds President Biden and Secretary Haaland for heeding the calls of Alaska Native communities to retain protections for 28 million acres of public lands that are essential for their traditional subsistence. These lands, known as D-1 lands, are some of the largest intact landscapes left in the country that includes wildlife habitat, watersheds and river systems that sustain salmon populations and provide resilience to the impacts of climate change. These protections expand on President Biden’s outstanding conservation record of protecting over 41 million acres during his administration, including the recent historic action to protect 13 million acres of the Western Arctic, and further cements his legacy of putting people, our places, and our climate first.”

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