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A project of Common Dreams

For Immediate Release
Contact:

Gabby Brown, gabby.brown@sierraclub.org

Interior Pushes Forward Irresponsible Arctic Offshore Drilling Project

Yesterday afternoon, Ryan Zinke's Department of the Interior announced the conditional approval of Hilcorp Alaska LLC's "Liberty" offshore drilling plan in the Beaufort Sea. This facility would be the first oil and gas production facility in federal waters off Alaska.

In response, Sierra Club Lands, Water, Wildlife Campaign Director Dan Ritzman released the following statement:

WASHINGTON

Yesterday afternoon, Ryan Zinke's Department of the Interior announced the conditional approval of Hilcorp Alaska LLC's "Liberty" offshore drilling plan in the Beaufort Sea. This facility would be the first oil and gas production facility in federal waters off Alaska.

In response, Sierra Club Lands, Water, Wildlife Campaign Director Dan Ritzman released the following statement:

"As the Arctic warms twice as fast as the rest of the planet, it is irresponsible to permit new oil development that will only exacerbate the problem of climate change. Not only will expanded offshore drilling threaten our climate, the Liberty development will also threaten a unique region of the Arctic Ocean seafloor that supports a rare diversity of wildlife. Rather than pushing for new development to benefit their friends in the fossil fuel industry, Ryan Zinke and the Department of the Interior should be leading the way towards a clean energy economy which would protect our climate and our oceans."

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