Tahltan say they stand united against oil and gas drilling
The Tahltan Nation says it supports the Gwich'in Nation in their efforts to protect the calving grounds of the Porcupine Caribou Herd on the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Tahltan President Chad Norman Day says the Gwich'in have been fighting for nearly 30 years for protection and that the Tahltan want to stand united with the Gwich'in, and to support efforts to stop oil and gas drilling.
Opening the remote refuge to oil and gas drilling is a long-time Republican priority that most Democrats fiercely oppose. The 19.6-million-acre refuge is home to polar bears, caribou, migratory birds and other wildlife.
Republican Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski says drilling can be done safely with new technology. She says the measure would generate $2 billion in royalties over the next decade, with half the money going to her home state.