"That the Democrats control the House of Representatives may not be enough to protect the refuge "
"Even with the Democrats controlling the House of Representatives after the U.S. midterm elections, citizens of Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation are cautiously optimistic about what the future holds for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), knowing full well their fight to preserve and protect the threatened ecosystem is far from over.
Kris Statnyk, a Vancouver-based lawyer and citizen of Vuntut Gwitchin, helped break down what the changeover could mean for the fragile environment, noting, however, that legal action against the proposed project could prove to be the most effective method in stalling oil and gas developments from moving into ANWR or thwarting them altogether.
Where drilling is slated to take place in the refuge, located in Alaska, is also where the Porcupine caribou herd, a sacred animal to the Gwich’in people, rear their young."
