The Alaska House of Representatives unanimously passed a joint resolution which opposes President Barack Obama’s ANWR wilderness designation.
Rep. Ben Nageak (D – Barrow) introduced the resolution to fight back against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s proposal to designate much of the refuge as wilderness, including the coastal plain.
That designation would prohibit oil and gas developments from happening in the 12 million acres of the refuge.
President Obama has asked Congress to support the Service’s Comprehensive Conservation Plan but Alaska’s Washington D.C. delegates have said they will fight the wilderness designation.
Rep. Nageak’s House Joint Resolution 10 also asks Congress to reject any proposal that does not open the coastal plain to development.
The Senate will now consider HJR 10.
