Trump on Earth

Interior Department: Victories and Defeats for the Oil Industry

It took 40 years but this week the Trump administration announced that it would open up 1.5 million acres of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas drilling. The administration argues the decision will lead to jobs and generate billions of dollars in revenue, but opponents warn that opening the area to drilling will have a devastating effect on the region - which is a critical habitat for polar bears, migrating caribou and other wildlife. On this episode, host Julie Grant talks with Darryl Fears who covers the Interior Department and Wildlife for The Washington Post about what the ANWR win means. They also talk about a recent defeat at Interior. Citing a line from To Kill a Mockingbird, a federal judge in New York struck down a Trump administration decision to scale back U.S. government protections for migratory birds. "It is not only a sin to kill a mockingbird, it is also a crime," Judge Valerie Caproni wrote.