Voice of the Arctic Iñupiat (VOICE), which has consistently maintained that the Biden Administration overstepped its authority when it cancelled seven oil and gas leases in the Arctic, has applauded the ruling by US District Court Judge Sharon Gleason that those cancellations were illegal.
“With a standing resolution from our Board to support the exploration and development of the 1002 area in ANWR, we are pleased to see Judge Gleason correct the Biden administration’s overreach on the canceled leases,” said VOICE President Nagruk Harcharek. “This proves yet again that the only way to create stable, durable policy in the North Slope is by engaging in consistent, meaningful consultation with the North Slope Iñupiat.”
The ruling has significant implications for the economy of Alaska, as it effectively revives the leases that were issued under the prior Trump Administration. The Biden administration had cited environmental concerns in its decision to cancel the leases, but the court found that the action lacked sufficient legal justification.
As the Trump Administration is now into its third month, early executive orders signal a return to the recognition that responsible resource development in Alaska is critical to the state and nation.
“It is important that the Trump-Vance administration meaningfully engage with and respect Kaktovik—the only community within ANWR—when it comes to policies affecting our lands and people,” said Kaktovik Iñupiat Corporation President Charles Lampe. “We look forward to working together to create lasting policy that benefits our community, the state of Alaska, and the nation.”
The ruling has been met with praise from Alaska Native corporations and regional leaders who support resource development as a means of economic self-determination for North Slope communities. Environmental litigants that make a living from lawsuits are expected to challenge the decision.
VOICE is a nonprofit organization established in 2015 by the region’s collective elected Iñupiat leadership. Dedicated to preserving and advancing North Slope Iñupiat cultural and economic self-determination, its members include local governments, Alaska Native Corporations, federally recognized tribes, and tribal non-profits across the North Slope of Alaska. In 2017, VOICE’s board passed a resolution in support of opening the 1002 Area of ANWR to oil and gas exploration and development.
Iñupiat leadership are the only ones who make sense in Alaska.
Our Innuit cousins in Greenland need take heed of how the US works, and opt for independence. Never be dominated by the flailing US Empire and the complete idiots who run it, if there is an option for self governance.
Same for any notions of Alberta statehood. Any potential territory or state needs to retain absolute control over their lands and resources.