*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*
Date: December 12, 2025
Contact: voiceofthearctic@marathonstrategies.com
Washington, D.C. – A statement from Nagruk Harcharek, President and CEO of the Voice of Arctic Iñupiat (VOICE), following President Trump’s decision to sign a Congressional Review Act resolution restoring North Slope Iñupiat self-determination in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). VOICE is a nonprofit organization established in 2015 by the region’s collective elected Iñupiat leadership and is dedicated to preserving and advancing North Slope Iñupiat cultural and economic self-determination. Its members include local governments, Alaska Native Corporations, federally recognized tribes, and tribal non-profits across the North Slope of Alaska. In 2017, VOICE’s board passed a resolution in support of opening the 1002 Area of ANWR to oil and gas exploration and development.
“We are pleased by the President’s decision to sign the Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution formally repealing the 2024 Record of Decision for ANWR’s Coastal Plain. This deeply flawed policy was drafted without proper legal consultation with our North Slope Iñupiat tribes and Alaska Native Corporations. Yet, today’s development shows that Washington is finally listening to our voices when it comes to policies affecting our homelands.
“The CRA is overwhelmingly supported by North Slope communities, including Kaktovik, the only community located within ANWR. We understand that responsible onshore development and our cultural traditions can coexist, as they have done for more than 50 years. In fact, tax revenues derived from development infrastructure helps to support world-class wildlife research and management departments that support our subsistence traditions.
“Looking ahead, we urge Congress and the federal government to continue its strong pattern of engagement with our North Slope Iñupiaq leaders. No matter the issue, our perspective is essential to crafting sensible and durable policies affecting our communities, economy, and culture.”
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About Voice of the Arctic Iñupiat (VOICE)
VOICE is a nonprofit organization established in 2015 by the region’s collective elected Iñupiat leadership and is dedicated to preserving and advancing North Slope Iñupiat cultural and economic self-determination. Its members include local governments, Alaska Native Corporations, federally recognized tribes, and tribal non-profits across the North Slope of Alaska.
In 2017, VOICE’s board passed a resolution in support of opening the 1002 Area of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to oil and gas exploration and development. VOICE was the first organization to file a lawsuit to challenge the 2024 National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska NPR-A rule, which was crafted without meaningful engagement with those who live on the North Slope and presented serious risks to survival of Indigenous communities and North Slope Iñupiaq culture.