Grandmothers Growing Goodness Responds to House Republicans Mandating Oil and Gas Lease Sales in Western Arctic

(Nuiqsut, Alaska) – Ahead of tomorrow’s House Committee on Natural Resources’ markup on the budget reconciliation bill, which mandates oil and gas lease sales in the National Petroleum Reserve - Alaska (Western Arctic Reserve), Grandmothers Growing Goodness released the following statement: 

“The Western Arctic and our communities that have lived here since time immemorial are not bargaining chips. The decision to mandate lease sales in the Western Arctic in budget reconciliation without seeking our input or hearing our concerns shows the dangerous direction those in charge are heading. We have stewarded these lands for generations and will continue fighting against these attacks on our home, health, and safety. Our leaders in Congress must stand up against these attempts to mandate leasing in the Western Arctic,” said Rosemary Ahtuangaruak, Executive Director of Grandmothers Growing Goodness.

House Republicans released the text for their budget reconciliation bill last week. The bill would mandate four lease sales in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and sales every two years in the Western Arctic (NPR-A). It also attempts to allow oil and gas corporations to sidestep essential environmental protections and eliminates judicial oversight, putting wildlife, subsistence livelihoods, and climate stability at risk.

The Western Arctic is home to sacred lands where 40 Indigenous communities live a subsistence lifestyle in harmony with America’s largest caribou herd. Protecting lands within the Western Arctic is critical to supporting these vulnerable communities' food security, cultural traditions, and health, ensuring a sustainable future for the land and its people.