Wildlife Habitat Protection or Attack on American Energy?
TRANSCRIPT:
Christina Thompson (Anchor, EarthxNews): The U.S. is taking action to curb fossil fuel developments on federal lands in Alaska. The Department of Interior recently announced it will limit oil and gas leases of the National Petroleum Reserve, officials say.
The move is part of the Biden Administration’s plan aimed at protecting local wildlife such as caribou and polar bears. The move comes as federal officials also reveal plans to block a controversial road crucial to operating in a planned copper and zinc mine in the northern part of the state, saying it would threaten indigenous communities and fragment wildlife habitats.
While environmental groups are praising the policies, some critics are calling them an attack on American energy.