In September, the U.S. House voted, 225 to 193, to advance H.R. 1146, the Arctic Cultural and Coastal Plain Protection Act, legislation that reverses the enacting clause opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in the 2018 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. In response, IADC President Jason McFarland issued the following statement:
“Today’s vote bans oil and gas leasing and development in and around the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in Alaska. These lands, which are presumed to hold more than 10 billion barrels of recoverable oil, can be developed safely and in an environmentally responsible manner. The impact of such activity would no doubt have a huge impact on the Alaskan economy, as well as the U.S. Treasury, bringing jobs to the region along with the drilling royalties these activities generate. IADC supports energy policies that encourage the safe and environmentally sound development of all the nation’s energy resources. With today’s vote, the House took a step backward in promoting U.S. energy production, and another step toward advancing ‘keep it in the ground’ policies.
