This bill, the Arctic Refuge Protection Act of 2025, would designate a portion of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska as wilderness. The bill adds a new subsection (p) to section 4 of the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 to make about 1,559,538 acres a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System under the Wilderness Act. The area is described as shown on a map titled "Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Coastal Plain Proposed Wilderness," dated October 20, 2015, Map ID 03-0172, available for inspection in the offices of the Secretary. The bill was introduced in the Senate on April 29, 2025, and referred to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.
If enacted, the named portion of the refuge would be officially designated as wilderness and become part of the National Wilderness Preservation System under the Wilderness Act. The bill text does not include details about specific changes to public access, use rules, management actions, or enforcement. No publicly available information.
No publicly available information about estimated costs, budget effects, or funding in the bill text.
The bill was introduced and sponsored by Senators Edward Markey, Maria Cantwell, Michael Bennet, Ron Wyden, Jeff Merkley, Tammy Baldwin, Patty Murray, Alex Padilla, Chris Van Hollen, Adam Schiff, Jeanne Shaheen, Richard Durbin, Bernie Sanders, Richard Blumenthal, Sheldon Whitehouse, Tina Smith, Ben Luján, Gary Peters, Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker, Peter Welch, Angela Alsobrooks, and Andy Kim. The bill text itself does not include statements from the sponsors explaining their reasons. No publicly available information.
No publicly available information about opposition or objections in the bill text or accompanying metadata.