Rep. Huffman Tours Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Reaffirms Strong Opposition to Arctic Oil Drilling

Statement

Congressman Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) released the following statement after returning from a trip to the Arctic Circle where he toured the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, one of America's last untouched wild places. Huffman is the author of the bipartisan Udall-Eisenhower Arctic Wilderness Act, which would protect the Wildlife Refuge's 1.5 million-acre Coastal Plain as wilderness, codifying into law permanent protections from damaging activities like oil drilling.

"I just completed a remarkable swing through Prudhoe Bay, where I learned firsthand what fossil fuel development north of the Arctic Circle really entails; followed by an amazing aerial tour of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and a camping trip in the Arctic Wilderness.

"This only reaffirmed my commitment to protect these unique wild places--some of the last places on earth untouched and unspoiled by roads, energy extraction, and other human development. From Teddy Roosevelt and John Muir, to Presidents Eisenhower and Carter, prior generations have understood that the Alaskan Arctic is a one-of-a-kind treasure that must be permanently preserved and protected.

"It's time for our generation to step up and do our part.

"I will keep fighting to pass my bipartisan bill to permanently protect the Arctic Refuge's Coastal Plain and other parts of the refuge as wilderness. The oil and gas in these areas should simply be left in the ground."

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