Autumn Hanna, vice president of TCS, had the following statement in response to the Trump Administration’s actions this week to open up the Arctic to drilling: 

“Fast-tracking lease sales in the Arctic Refuge is a wrongheaded last-ditch attempt by the outgoing administration that undervalues our public lands and leaves taxpayers on the hook for more than just the financial bill. Lease sale revenue would only generate pennies on the dollar representing a devastating loss for taxpayers, and the damage, once set in motion, would be irreversible. Oil and gas exploration in the Arctic has now become an even bigger political grudge match than it has been for years and represents a huge liability for taxpayers who will ultimately foot the bill. Especially during a pandemic, the common sense solution is to table this political play to lease the Arctic.”

###   

ABOUT: Taxpayers for Common Sense (TCS) is a nonpartisan budget watchdog that has served as an independent voice for the American taxpayer since 1995. TCS works to ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent responsibly and that government operates within its means.