Will Congress protect the arctic refuge?

PositionAlaska - Brief article

Congress has introduced twin bills in the House and Senate to designate the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as a wilderness. The Arctic Refuge provides summer nesting grounds for millions of migratory birds that fly north through all 50 states in order to reach this lush ecosystem. The coastal plain of the Arctic Refuge is the biological heart of the refuge and long has had the threat of oil and gas development hanging over it.

"Alaska's coastal plain is one of North America's most prolific bird nurseries. If the Arctic Refuge is ever developed, America loses one of its last untouched, wild places and millions of baby birds could lose their homes," warns David Yarnold, president and CEO of the National Audubon Society, New York. "The breeding and nesting grounds for birds that later fly to all 50 states and all seven continents make this a truly special place where no drill rig or pipeline should ever be.

Given its biological and aesthetic value, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge has enjoyed...

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