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White Noise and Our Vision for Cook Inlet

by | Aug 3, 2022 | Climate Change, Lease Sale 258, Oil & Gas

Cook Inletkeeper has been fighting alongside our supporters for our collective vision of Cook Inlet for the last 27 years. This vision has focused on clean water, healthy salmon, and […]

Cook Inletkeeper has been fighting alongside our supporters for our collective vision of Cook Inlet for the last 27 years. This vision has focused on clean water, healthy salmon, and strong communities. One central theme of this fight has been limiting oil and gas development and corresponding pollution. 

That vision is still central today. Inletkeeper’s vision for the future is no oil and gas rigs in the federal waters of Lower Cook Inlet. This is our vision for Cook Inlet no matter what political curveballs come our way. And that makes everything else white noise. 

So the news about the Senate’s climate package is bittersweet. Last week we learned that the proposed bill, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), would put Lease Sale 258 back on the table and would require more offshore oil and gas leases if we hold wind sales. The IRA is a tricky act because it has strong elements to help us move climate action forward but the poison pill of more offshore drilling is hard to swallow. We don’t know if this bill will pass in this form, but meanwhile Alaskans, including Inletkeeper, will be fighting for our vision of Cook Inlet no matter what. We know that, even if the overwhelmingly unpopular Lease Sale 258 is held and leases are purchased, we will have other opportunities to speak up to prevent rigs and drilling in these waters. We won’t be distracted by the white noise.

We don’t have to wait. We can stand up and speak out for this vision now: there is currently an open comment period on the 2023-2028 five year plan for offshore oil and gas leases in federal waters. We can stand up and ask President Biden to withdraw the federal waters of Cook Inlet from all future offshore oil and gas lease sales. We can continue to advocate for the future we want for Cook Inlet. .

Sign the petition: inletkeeper.org/5yp

Share with friends and family, spread the word!

You can write and submit your own comments here! (also we made some talking points here!)

Join us for the Cook Inlet we want for the future – everything else is white noise and designed to distract us from that goal. 

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