Sierra Club Statement on Senate Vote to Overturn Arctic Protections

Today, the U.S. Senate voted to overturn environmental protections in the Western Arctic, clearing the way for oil and gas companies to greatly increase drilling activities in the area’s public lands.

In a 52-45 vote, the Senate invoked the Congressional Review Act to reverse a 2022 decision that protected millions of acres in the Western Arctic from oil and gas development. The Senate resolution was introduced by Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK). Rep. Nick Begich (R-AK) has introduced a companion resolution in the House.

The Act allows Congress to overturn administrative rules enacted by executive agencies. After years of little use, the Act has become a key part of Donald Trump’s agenda to revoke protections for public lands and waters and enable extractive industries to drill, mine, and log fragile landscapes and ecosystems.

This is the second time Trump has reversed previously established environmental protections for the Western Arctic, the single-largest contiguous area of public lands in the United States. In his first term, Trump approved a plan that would have allowed drilling in more than 80% of the area Western Arctic, removing Obama-era protections for about half of the area. Expanded drilling on these landscapes would threaten critical habitat for birds and other wildlife, and food security for Alaska Native communities.

In response, Athan Manuel, Director of Sierra Club’s Lands Protection Program, released the following statement:

“Donald Trump’s government shutdown has dragged on for nearly five weeks, and what is the top priority for Congressional Republicans? Opening up the western Arctic to oil and gas drilling, not funding services or making sure our military is paid? Donald Trump and his allies in Congress have gotten us into a crisis, and now they’re exploiting it to hand over our public lands and wild places to corporate polluters – it’s shameful.”