Stopping any current and future oil and gas leasing before it gets a foothold in Lower Cook Inlet has been an imperative for Cook Inletkeeper’s Stop Oil and Gas Leasing Campaign. Lower Cook Inlet supports strong, sustainable economies around commercial and sport fisheries, subsistence gathering, and tourism. However, these prime fishing grounds and home to endangered beluga whales in Lower Cook Inlet are exactly where the oil industry wants to install platforms and pipelines.
Alaska is reeling from climate change with warming temperatures, wildfires, thawing permafrost, and melting ice. Increased carbon emissions and toxic discharge, potential for spills with oil and gas development would make the lands and waters uninhabitable for generations to come.
Other partners on the project include local commercial and sport fishing groups, Cook Inlet Tribal partners, and other organizations such as Earthjustice, Center for Biological Diversity, Natural Resource Defense Council, and Oceana.
Inletkeeper is working to stop oil and gas exploration in the federal waters of the lower Cook Inlet watershed. Alaskans are conflicted about stopping the oil and gas extraction completely because our economy is fueled by our resource-based industries. That’s where we come in to build community, educate about the issues, inspire people to consider renewable alternatives and reject being locked into decades of increased fossil fuel production and usage.
Sue Mauger
Cook Inletkeeper