April 19, 2024

SILA is Cautiously Optimistic as Western Arctic Rule is Announced

EAGLE RIVER, ALASKA -- Sovereign Iñupiat for a Living Arctic, a grassroots organization dedicated to environmental advocacy, greets the announcement of the Western Arctic Rule with cautious optimism. SILA recognizes the heartfelt contributions of those involved in shaping this rule and extends gratitude for their perseverance, acknowledging the difficulties associated with pushing it through.

The Western Arctic Rule opens the door for designating new special areas and protection measures and for more inclusive decision-making processes. Above all, SILA hopes that this process will result in greater protections for traditional ways of life, through the new designation of Special Areas that are crucial for hunting and caribou migration. SILA appreciates the nod towards co-management, but many more details must be provided before these provisions can be considered helpful.

“If the oil and gas companies genuinely prioritized the health and safety of the communities that will be most impacted by Willow and other oil projects, they should have been the first to introduce the safety measures and co-stewardship this ruling opens a path for,” expressed Nauri Simmonds, Executive Director of SILA. “This administration now has the opportunity to prioritize community voices who aim to protect our people and way of life for generations to come.”

As SILA remains steadfast in its mission to preserve our lands, the organization champions the implementation of substantial and effective measures that will ensure a sustainable future for generations to come.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Nauri Simmonds

Executive Director

SILA

907-691-4832

nauriaq@silainuat.org

Thank you for committing to ending environmental injustice, acknowledging our obligation to our children and grandchildren to address the climate crisis, and promising a new era of respect for America’s Indigenous Peoples. The Willow oil project is so large and so detrimental to the Alaska Native village in its shadow that approving it would thwart all three of these promises.

Willow is a threat to the Arctic and the Iñupiat, the people who have lived and stewarded Arctic Alaska for millennia. Nuiqsut, the village that would suffer the impacts of Willow, gets the majority of its food from subsistence hunting and fishing. Oil development in the region has encircled the town and has already eliminated or degraded many important hunting and fishing grounds, making it hard for people to put food on the table. As your own agencies acknowledge, Willow would significantly impact Nuiqsut’s ability to continue subsistence activities.

The lands the Iñupiat inhabit have already become a “sacrifice zone” for an industry that has no future. We agree with you when you said the economy should work for everyone, and that means the Iñupiat, too. Building Willow on Iñuipiat traditional lands would pollute their air, water, and land, posing a direct threat to their health, food security and cultural identity. Iñuit already face disproportionately high rates of chronic illnesses, especially respiratory and cancers. Instead, we call on you to ensure that your commitment to a green and sustainable future is a commitment to the people on Alaska’s North Slope, too.

To avoid irreversible climate devastation and to reach the US goal of achieving a net-zero emissions economy by 2050, we must end new investment in fossil fuel projects. Approval of a project the size of Willow would be climate suicide. Coastal villages in Alaska are losing land to erosion at breakneck speed, permafrost thaw is causing dramatic changes to the ecosystem and the destruction of oil and other infrastructure, and Alaska Natives are at risk of losing their jobs, homes, and lives in a place which is warming at four times faster than the rest of the world.

The federally recognized tribe and the city government of Nuiqsut have spoken. They have told your administration how it has disregarded their concerns, mischaracterized their opportunities for providing input into the decision-making process, and ignored all options that would avoid significant impacts to environmental justice and their traditional way of life.

President Biden, make the right choice and put our future over Big Oil’s profits. Stop Willow before it’s too late.