WASHINGTON – With the Trump administration planning to conduct a controversial lease sale of land tracts in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge on Wednesday, Environment America mailed more than 14,000 petitions to Chevron asking the oil company not to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

The Bureau of Land Management is rushing this lease sale with a public comment period still open on seismic activity in the refuge. The incoming Biden administration is opposed to drilling in this pristine area. 

Environment America Public Lands Director Ellen Montgomery issued the following statement:

“The signatures on this petition represent something much larger. They represent a bedrock American principle that some places should stay wild, no matter what. We hope that Chevron and other oil companies will agree that no amount of oil is worth the destruction of endangered polar bear denning areas and caribou calving grounds. With public opinion, the incoming administration, and even major banks against the destruction of this precious place, we hope that all oil companies will take a pass on this lease sale.”

This post was originally published on Radio Free.