🇺🇸 Voice of the Arctic Iñupiat on Latest Willow Project Reports
Press release from Voice of Arctic Iñupiat
A statement from Nagruk Harcharek, President of the Voice of Arctic Iñupiat (“VOICE”). VOICE is a nonprofit organization established in 2015 by the region’s collective Iñupiat leadership to speak with a unified voice on issues impacting the North Slope Iñupiat, their communities, their economy, and their culture. VOICE members include local governments, Alaska Native Corporations, federally recognized tribes, and tribal non-profits across the North Slope of Alaska. VOICE’s board unanimously passed a resolution in support of advancing the Willow Project to support the economic well-being of the North Slope Iñupiat.
“Reports within the last day that the Biden administration intends to move ahead with a Record of Decision (ROD) on the Willow Project consistent with the Bureau of Land Management’s recommendation of Alternative E are encouraging, albeit not final news for the Iñupiat communities on Alaska’s North Slope. We hope between now and the final ROD, the administration continues to listen to the elected Iñupiat leadership from the North Slope of Alaska, heeding the strong support for Willow across our state, instead of bowing to the will of outside groups with no ties to our land, heritage, or people.
“While we await the final ROD, the VOICE would like to thank Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, Rep. Mary Sattler Peltola, elected leaders from across the state, and countless organizations who have voiced their strong, bipartisan support for the Willow Project.
“The Willow Project is a new opportunity to ensure a viable future for our communities, creating generational economic stability for our people and advancing our self-determination. North Slope Iñupiat communities have waited nearly a generation for Willow to advance. We hope, at long last, our communities can begin to realize the benefits Willow will yield to sustain our people and region.”
Originally published on 11 March.
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