Dear NRDC Activist,

Yesterday the Trump administration finalized its plan to open 1.5 million acres of Alaska's pristine Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to devastating oil and gas drilling.

Oil company giants like Chevron could have drilling leases in hand within weeks.

This is an egregious intrusion into the sacred lands of the Gwich'in and other Indigenous People, and it's a shameless attack on cherished wildlands, wildlife, and our climate.

Our last, best chance to save the Arctic Refuge is court: We're suing the Trump administration to block this illegal drilling scheme. Will you join our fight with a tax-deductible donation?

I'll be honest, , I've been fighting with NRDC to protect Alaskan wildlands for more than 25 years and I've never been more concerned about the future of the Arctic Refuge.

The Trump administration's drilling plans would devastate the coastal plain, which the Gwich'in people call "the sacred place where life begins." It is the favorite denning grounds of America's polar bears, the birthing ground for the majestic Porcupine River caribou herd, and vital nesting habitat for millions of migratory birds.

Polar bears and other wildlife are already suffering the terrible impacts of a melting Arctic caused by climate change. The last thing they need is for us to burn more fossil fuels and industrialize their vulnerable habitat.

Drilling the Arctic Refuge will accelerate our global climate crisis — worsening our addiction to oil and compounding the carbon pollution that already threatens our planet's future.

The Trump administration's fossil fuel allies will be the only winners — and only in the short term. The rest of us, especially the Gwich'in people, will pay the price forever.

But make no mistake: It's not too late to derail their efforts to hand over the Refuge to oil companies — and with your help, we are determined to do so.

NRDC has sued corporate polluters, local governments, and every administration since 1970. We have filed more than 122 cases against the Trump administration and won nearly 90% of the cases resolved so far. We're fighting to stop them from rolling back clean air protections, allowing destructive mining projects in sensitive habitats, stripping national monuments of protection, and so much more.

We're committed to saving the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge — but we're counting on your support.

Thank you for standing with us at this absolutely critical moment.

Sincerely,

Niel Lawrence
Alaska Director and Senior Attorney, NRDC