DEVELOPING… the Biden administration has just suspended all oil and gas leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, undoing one of Trump's final acts in office.

This is huge. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland declared that Trump's leasing program had "multiple legal deficiencies," and ordered a moratorium on leases in order to conduct a full analysis of the environmental impacts of the program.

We've just kicked off our Summer Membership Drive — and it's an important one. The announcement is expected to trigger a major political battle, particularly as we ramp up our campaign to pass legislation fully restoring protections to the Arctic Refuge, and we're also anticipating a legal challenge. We need to be ready to raise hell — but the bottom line is this: how big our campaigns go depends on our members.

Right now, the best thing you can do to help is renew your LCV membership — all it takes is $5.

So we're asking: renew your membership — it only costs $5. Anything you can afford to contribute will make a huge difference »

This action by the Biden administration follows years of campaigning by Indigenous communities and environmental activists. It's a matter of basic human rights. The Indigenous Gwich'in people rely on the Refuge — calling its coastal plain the "Sacred Place Where Life Begins" — because their culture, traditions, and community are deeply tied to the land and wildlife.

Make no mistake, this is a great step forward. But we need to keep the pressure up if we're going to successfully push the Biden administration and Congress to pass legislation fully restoring protections for the Arctic Refuge. The margins in Congress are extraordinarily tight and we're competing against other priorities, but if we make enough noise, we can save the Arctic Refuge from Big Oil.

Your membership matters, friend. The money we raise from membership contributions like yours is what allows us to run environmental campaigns that fend off attacks from the oil industry — and hold our leaders accountable.

We need to move quickly. The oil industry is already mobilizing a response — they're not going to back down on drilling in the Arctic Refuge, not when they were so close.

I want you to know just how much your support matters. Please, renew your LCV membership today — it only costs $5 »

Thank you for continuing to fight for protected lands and Indigenous communities when they're most threatened.

Adam, Alex, Brooke, Casey, ChiQuita, Jim, Mike, Brent, and Vinnie
LCV Rapid Response Team