We must protect the Arctic Refuge

Dear Friend,

Sixty years ago, our nation rose above the tyrannical and boundless ambition of civilization to preserve nearly 20 million acres of North America's wildest country and most important wildlife habitat as the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. It was one of the world's greatest moments for nature. But it was an accomplishment that will only stand if we, as a nation, have the will.

VIDEO: U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich calls for permanent protection of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, December 6, 2020.

I've had the privilege of seeing this great wilderness myself. But even if I had never set foot on the coastal plain or in the massive Brooks Range, this piece of public ground would still have deep meaning for me and more importantly for my descendants. This refuge, with its herds of caribou, its musk oxen and its polar bears, is the greatest down payment we can make towards a sustainable future for the coming generations.

There will always be those who see a dollar beneath every acre of our public lands. We cannot let that shortsighted view threaten one of the world's last great landscapes. We cannot let that view rob our children of their inheritance. I stand with the Gwich'in people, with President-Elect Joe Biden, and with so many Americans who are standing up for the Arctic Refuge. We must protect the Arctic Refuge, for the sake of our planet and for future generations.

I encourage you to write to me about your thoughts on this and other important issues. You can count on me to keep fighting for science and for our children's future.