(907) 562-0062 | northrim.com We Bank On Alaskans At Northrim, we focus on serving the needs of Alaska and our neighbors who live here. We are committed to responsible resource development and the businesses that power Alaska. And that brings positive energy to all of our communities. ACHIEVE MORE THE LINK: OCTOBER 2023 21 “This war on Alaska is devastating for not only Alaska but also the energy security of the nation. This unlawful cancellation of AIDEA’s ANWR leases today now brings us to 55 executive orders and actions specifically targeting Alaska since President Biden assumed office.” — U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska to us by Congress over 40 years ago, under the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act we are astounded that Secretary Haaland has defied Congress through her actions. We are a small community that suffers as the federal winds blow and feel the Biden Administration is working to effectively erase us from the land that we have inhabited for hundreds of years,” said Charles Lampe, President, Kaktovik Iñupiat Corporation. “We are being blindsided by this action! Our community fought hard to get the Coastal Plain opened to oil and gas leasing. We are an economically underserved community and are continually looking for economic opportunities for our long-term sustainability. “Forty years ago we found ourselves located in a National Wildlife Refuge against our will. Life has been difficult for us under the Refuge management, there are too many rules and regulations for a small community like ours to adjust to. One of the opportunities we always looked towards was the future potential of oil and gas leasing in the Coastal Plain. The Secretary’s actions today basically goes against Congress and again takes rights away from us to manage our own lands to provide for our future. We are appalled by this action and its timing – we are harvesting our native foods and that’s our primary focus right now. What does President Biden plan to do for our community if you take away our economic opportunities,” said Annie Tikluk, Mayor, City of Kaktovik. “The government should respect sovereign rights of the local people. Our people need jobs to earn wages in order to lead a subsistence lifestyle,” said Matthew Rexford, Tribal Administrator for the Village of Kaktovik. — Tim Bradner
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