Alan Lowenthal actually said...

"Oil and gas development, particularly on the tundra in the Arctic, is irreversible."

"There is absolutely no need to open the Arctic Refuge to oil and gas drilling."

"I think we should all be able to agree that decisions about the future of the Arctic Refuge should be made thoughtfully, carefully, and with an understanding that this is a one-way street."

"And for the Gwich'in people, it is simply sacrosanct. They call it, 'the sacred place where life begins.'"