NEWS ARCHIVE - NOVEMBER 2004

Arctic Refuge Once Again Threatened By Bush Administration Drilling Plans 

Statement By Defenders Of Wildlife President Rodger Schlickeisen In the face of broad public opposition, the Bush administration and pro-industry lawmakers are once again threatening to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil companies eager to mount drilling operations. Despite the election results, the facts have not changed. Drilling in the Arctic Refuge would destroy one of our nation's last pristine wilderness areas.

Read the Defenders of Wildlife press release

Arctic Refuge Defenders Battle-Tested and Ready to Fight

Statement By Defenders of Wildlife and Coalition of Other Organizations Proponents of drilling in the Arctic Refuge have a much broader agenda -- just last year, Rep. Tom DeLay (R-TX) told a group of high-ranking Republicans that the controversy over drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is a "symbolic" debate about whether or not oil and gas drilling should be allowed in pristine wild areas across the country. Ultimately, the battle over the Arctic Refuge says a lot about what sort of nation we are going to be. Are we a country that squanders its natural resources for short-term profit? Or are we a nation that stewards those resources, carefully conserving the most valuable natural and economic assets to ensure we will have them in the future? 

Read the Defenders of Wildlife press release