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JUNE 21, 2001

During a speech in Anchorage, Secretary of Interior Gale Norton on Wednesday said the Gwich'in Nation has a "choice" when it comes to continuing their subsistence lifestyle, a tradition that has been passed down for thousands of years.

"If the group's goal is to continue their subsistence lifestyle for generations, that is certainly their choice. But that choice also impacts others," she said. "The children throughout America, their lives will be affected by these decisions as well whether they will have heat for their homes, whether they will have jobs in a prosperous economy."

Norton on Monday visited the Gwich'in community of Arctic Village. Residents and Gwich'in leaders told her drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge would destroy their entire way of life because it would affect the Porcupine caribou herd on which they subsist.

Get the Story:
Norton remains firm on ANWR (The Anchorage Daily News 6/21)
Norton wraps up Alaska visit; defends Alaska appointment (AP 6/20)

Relevant Links:
Gwich'in Steering Committee - http://www.alaska.net/~gwichin
Oil Issues in ANWR, US Fish and Wildlife - http://arctic.fws.gov/issues1.html
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, US Fish and Wildlife Service - http://arctic.fws.gov
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Pro-Development site - http://www.anwr.org

Related Stories:
Norton visits Gwich'in village (6/19)
Oil friends chosen by Norton (6/18)
Gwich'in Nation blind-sided by Norton visit (6/15)
GOP faces last day in power (6/5)
Shift in Senate means changes for Indian Country (5/25)
Norton: Indian Country won't get ripped off (5/24)
Alaska Natives square off over Arctic drilling (5/18)
Campbell: Alaska Natives support drilling (4/25)
Gwich'in Nation: We Come from the Caribou (4/4)
GOP Senators unveil drilling proposal (2/27)