©2025 League of Conservation Voters
1979 Scorecard Vote
268
157
9
Issues
HR. 39. The vote is on the Udall-Anderson amendment to create 129 million acres of national parks, wildlife refuges, national forests and wilderness areas in Alaska. Some of the most important areas included were: the Gates of the Arctic National Park, the Noatak river basin, wilderness on Admiralty Island, the Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge and the Arctic National Wildlife Range. The Yukon flats marsh is one of the most important waterfowl nesting areas on the continent and the Arctic National Wildlife Rage is the calving area for the nation’s largest surviving caribou herd. Opponents argued that Udall’s bill would “lock up” precious resources, but in fact 95% of the onshore areas with greatest oil and gas potential could be available for exploration and development. Environmentalists waged a massive lobbying effort on behalf of the bill, as did the administration. President Carter called it the “conservation bill of the century.” This vote is given double weight in scoring. Adopted 268-157. May 16, 1979. Yes is the correct vote.
©2025 League of Conservation Voters