On Nov. 24, 2021 Senator Van Hollen Responded to PGAS’ email about the Arctic Refuge Protection Act as follows:

Dear Mr. Cohen,

Thank you for contacting me to express your support for the Arctic Refuge Protection Act. I appreciate hearing from you and apologize for the delayed response.

I share your concern for the protection of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and am an original cosponsor of this important legislation. As the largest unit in the National Wildlife Refuge System, the 19.6 million acres of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is home to unique and vulnerable ecosystems that provide habitat to 42 fish species, 37 land mammals, eight marine mammals, and over 200 migratory and resident birds. These lands and species are also central to both the subsistence lifestyle and culture of the Gwich’in Nation.

The Arctic Refuge Protection Act would restore protections that were stripped when the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act mandated oil and gas leasing, development, and production on the coastal plain of the Arctic Refuge. I pushed for banks and insurers like JPMorgan Chase & Co., AIG, and Zurich to commit to stop financing and insuring oil and gas drilling and exploration in the Arctic Refuge.

I am pleased to report that the Build Back Better legislation currently includes provisions to repeal the oil and gas leasing program, cancels the leases that have been sold, and returns payments on those leases. I will continue to push for those provisions in the final legislation.

Again, thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. Please do not hesitate to contact me whenever I may be of service.

Sincerely,

Chris Van Hollen
United States Senator

P.S. Please visit my website , where you can learn more about legislation that I have sponsored or co-sponsored and receive information on the important constituent services provided by my office. Additionally, you can read more here about my work to respond to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), how to stay safe, and the resources available to help you.