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For Immediate Release

FY18 Budget Would Allow Drilling in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

Today, the House of Representatives leadership unveiled its FY' 2018 budget which fails to protect our families health and our natural resources, including language that would instruct the Natural Resources Committee to allow, for the first time ever, drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and a cut of $528 Million compared to FY'17.

The following is a statement from Margie Alt, Executive Director, Environment America:

"Drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge would be like putting a waterslide on Old Faithful.

WASHINGTON

Today, the House of Representatives leadership unveiled its FY' 2018 budget which fails to protect our families health and our natural resources, including language that would instruct the Natural Resources Committee to allow, for the first time ever, drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and a cut of $528 Million compared to FY'17.

The following is a statement from Margie Alt, Executive Director, Environment America:

"Drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge would be like putting a waterslide on Old Faithful.

"The Refuge is home to numerous wildlife and the calving ground for the porcupine caribou. In addition it is a place sacred to the Gwich'in people.

"While scientists tell us we need to keep most of our remaining fossil fuel reserves in the ground if we are to stave off the worst impacts of climate change, Big Oil and its allies in the congress are pushing hard to get access to this special place.

"If any place is too special to drill, that place is the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The Congress should reject this wrong-headed provision when it adopts a final FY'18 budget."

With Environment America, you protect the places that all of us love and promote core environmental values, such as clean air to breathe, clean water to drink, and clean energy to power our lives. We're a national network of 29 state environmental groups with members and supporters in every state. Together, we focus on timely, targeted action that wins tangible improvements in the quality of our environment and our lives.

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