Washington D.C- In response to today’s proposal from the Department of Interior to repeal protections for 13 million acres in the Western Arctic, the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) released the following statement from Conservation Program Director America Fitzpatrick:

“With this proposal, the Trump administration is once again putting the interests of billionaire polluting industries above those of local communities, wildlife, and the environment. By attempting to roll back critical, broadly supported protections for the Western Arctic, this administration is putting lands that sustain cultural traditions, food security and health of Indigenous communities at risk, all while indulging the oil and gas industry and exacerbating the climate crisis. The Department of the Interior must not ignore public input from impacted communities, as well as the voices of over 250,000 people who have previously weighed in in support of these protections.”

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