Sierra Club Statement on Trump Administration Opening Millions of Acres of Protected Public Lands to Mining - CleanTechnica

The Trump Administration, through Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, announced the rescission of two longstanding land withdrawals in Alaska, opening over two million acres of protected public lands north of the Yukon River to mining and drilling. These protections, established in the 1970s, were removed to transfer more control to the Alaska state government, which supports expanded industrial energy development. This move aligns with the administration’s broader agenda to promote resource extraction in Alaska, including projects like Alaska LNG and the Ambler road. In response, the Sierra Club strongly condemned the decision, emphasizing that it prioritizes corporate interests over the environment, local communities, Tribes, and wildlife dependent on these lands. Dan Ritzman, the Sierra Club’s Director of Conservation, warned that such actions threaten Alaska’s remaining wild places and could cause irreversible environmental damage. The Sierra Club, as a leading grassroots environmental organization, continues to advocate for the protection of public lands, clean energy, and wildlife through activism, education, and legal efforts.