Alaska lease sale moves closer

摘要

THE US Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has issued a final environmental impact statement for an oil and gas lease sale in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), clearing a major hurdle in advancing the process. The step is a major achievement for the long-time advocates who have been pushing for decades to open ANWR and who contend that a small portion of the pristine refuge can be developed without major damage to the whole, while helping to fuel local jobs and economic activity. However, environmentalists have long opposed the proposal, with concerns only intensifying amid climate change concerns on the sensitivity of the Arctic, and the push is expected to be challenged in court.