FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact:
Kristina Baum – 202.224.6176
Donelle Harder – 202.224.1282
Sen. Inhofe’s Statement on the Obama Administration’s Grab of 12 million acres in ANWR
U.S.
Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works
Committee, today pledged to work with Congress to rein in the Obama
Administration’s power grab of millions of acres in Alaska:
“The President’s announcement today to lock up millions of acres and 40
billion barrels of untapped resources in Alaska will greatly hinder economic
opportunity across the state and further hamper America’s pursuit for energy
independence. It’s one thing for the President to say he is for building
a strong middle class, but his policies are working against his own rhetoric.”
Inhofe said. “Most alarmingly, the President once again ignored the
law and trampled on state’s rights in order to solidify his legacy with his
liberal base. With the Department of Interior’s plan to immediately place
millions of acres of ANWR off limits, the nation is seeing federal government
overreach at its finest. This action will not be tolerated in the new
Congress. I am proud we have Senator Dan Sullivan serving on the
Environment and Public Works as Subcommittee Chairman on Fisheries, Wildlife,
and Water. I will do everything in my power to support Sen. Sullivan and
the work of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee as well as
Chairman Lisa Murkowski in the fight to rein in the Obama
Administration.”
Today President Obama and Department of Interior Secretary Sally Jewell
announced a proposal to lock up roughly 12 million acres in Alaska’s Arctic
National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). The 1980 Alaska National Interest Lands
Conservation Act (ANILCA) requires Congress to approve any additional
wilderness designations in Alaska. Despite the law, the Department of
Interior said today it proposes immediately managing the 1.5 million acres of
coastal plain of ANWR.
Throughout Inhofe’s tenure on the EPW Committee, Inhofe has fought for
responsible oil and natural gas development in ANWR and on federal lands in
order to quickly achieve energy independence and to fuel economic growth with
affordable, reliable energy resources.
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