BANGOR DAILY NEWS • October 5, 2021
Snow gently falling on the mountains, a grizzly bear nudging her cubs across a stream, a herd of caribou galloping across the tundra. Growing up in Alaska, these were all scenes that I had the privilege of experiencing. My time in the state left a permanent mark on my heart. That’s why, when I learned that Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge was opened up to oil drilling, I was overwhelmed. This land has come to be known as the “American Serengeti.” Despite such distinction, Congress reversed decades of protection and passed a provision that requires the Department of the Interior to offer lease sales for oil and gas development in the Refuge. Protecting our wild spaces is our responsibility as citizens, whether we’re in Alaska, Maine or anywhere in between. ~ Julia Geskey, Environment Maine