PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • August 7, 2021
The tasks of serving as good stewards of the Earth and caring for one another are under threat in many places, but none more notable than Alaska. For the first time, oil drilling will be allowed in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, in the northern part of Alaska. This breathtaking parcel of creation, home to the Gwich’in people, is unique because its natural processes remain mostly uninfluenced by people. But for all its singular beauty and its importance for wildlife, some policymakers and oil companies have continued to urge Congress to open this national treasure to oil exploration and drilling. Oil and gas exploration in the Arctic Refuge will not only violate the human rights of the Gwich’in people, but also will continue to contribute to the climate crisis, which threatens all of us. ~ The Rev. Richard Killmer, retired Presbyterian minister, Yarmouth