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ARCTIC NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

Karuna said Apr 26, 2006, 5:35 AM:

A R C T I C R E F U G E

PLEASE HELP SAVE THE ARCTIC REFUGE, the greatest living reminder that conserving nature in its wild state is a core American value.

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is America's Serengeti, comprising 19.8 million acres of land in the northeast corner of Alaska, and adjoining Ivvavik and Vuntui National Parks in the Yukon Territory in Canada. This gem of a landscape, one of the last intact ecosystems on earth, is being profoundly impacted by forces that threaten to change its existence forever: global warming and the encroachment of modern society through the potential for oil drilling.

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Nineteen million acres of wilderness stretch across Northeastern Alaska, home to a stunning diversity of ecological zones, from vast expanses of coastal tundra to boreal forests and spectacular snow-capped mountain peaks. Set aside more than 50 years ago, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is the largest wildlife refuge in the United States, and provides critically important habitat to over 250 species of wildlife, such as wolves, grizzlies, caribou, and migratory birds. However, the 1.5 million-acre coastal plain of the Refuge, also known as the 1002 Area is highly coveted by the oil industry. Unless we act now, Congress could turn this impressive wilderness into a sprawling oil field.

THIS IS A CRAZY FIGHT, BUT IT'S REAL.

Most of you have never experienced the beauty and ecological diversity of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge first-hand. Here, you can browse through stunning photo and video galleries to see the wildlife, landscape and sacred wilderness that you, along with Arctic Refuge Action, are working so hard to protect.

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Take action to oppose oil drilling in the Arctic Refuge. Learn about the Refuge, the animals and people that depend on it, and what will be lost if drilling is allowed.

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Arctic Refuge 101 fact sheets:
Get informed about the refuge's extraordinary wilderness and wildlife, the damage oil development has caused nearby, and better ways we can meet our energy needs.

Here is a boilerplate letter. Make it your own, and tell Congress to keep oil drills out of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. This will take you less than five minutes.

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PLEASE TAKE ACTION.

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Re: ARCTIC NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

Karuna said Apr 26, 2006, 6:32 AM:

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SENATE VOTES FOR BUDGET WITH OIL DRILLING

IN ARCTIC REFUGE.

The Senate has voted 51-49 in favor of the 2007 fiscal year budget resolution. This resolution includes instructions to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to save $3 billion-almost exactly the federal share of the administration's unrealistic leasing projections for the refuge. This budget resolution differs from last year's budget bill in that it contains “Arctic only” reconciliation instructions, as compared to last year's budget that also sought cuts to health entitlement and other mandatory spending programs. However this budget will continue the cuts approved last year, which will result in $125 billion reductions in services including education, nutrition, housing, children's services, and services to the elderly.

By burying Arctic Refuge drilling language in the federal budget, drilling proponents have shown a blatant disregard for the American public's desire to keep the Arctic Refuge safe from the destructive impacts of oil development. Even worse, this outlandish idea was approved just days after Alaska's North Slope was impacted by THE LARGEST oil spill in its long history of drilling-267,000 gallons thus far. The oil spill occurred in on the delicate tundra of a caribou crossing area, demonstrating once again that oil drilling is a dirty business and does not belong in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

What Happens Now and What you Can Do

This resolution is just the first step in opening the Arctic Refuge to oil development. The House of Representatives must also pass the resolution. The House and Senate must then pass a “reconciliation bill” to actually implement legislation that follows the budget resolution instructions.

That would happen later this year.

Call Your Senators - Now and Multiple Times

Calls are essential and easy to make. Their staff people tally the number of people who express opinions. Ask how the Senator voted on the Budget Resolution (this site will be updated once we receive the official tally). If they voted against the resolution, express your support. If they voted for it, express your disappointment and indicate you will be watching them carefully once the final budget is up for vote later this year.

You can get the numbers for your Senators at the Senate Site. Or you can call the Capitol Switchboard and ask to be connected. That number is 202-224-3121 but is often busy.

Call Your Congressional Representative - Now and Multiple Times

The House of Representatives must also vote on this resolution. Please call your Representative today and ask that they vote against it.
You can get your Represetative's phone number at the House of Representatives Site.

Last Year's Results

On December 21st, the Senate fell 4 votes short of ending a filibuster against a provision in the Defence Department authorization bill that contained a rider authorizing oil development in the Arctic Wildlife Refuge. The rider was then stripped from the bill in order to insure its passage.

On Monday, Dec 19th, The House of Representatives passed their version of the bill that authorized drilling. After being unable to pass Arctic Drilling any other way, Sen. Ted Stevens orchestrated this outrageous ploy which was quickly adopted by the House of Representatives. In a particularly bizarre twist, the bill also earmarks oil money for Katrina relief.

In the Senate, 60 votes were required to cut off debate and accept the rider. Only 56 votes were obtained to do that.

This cynical end-run of the political process was designed to force lawmakers to pit voting for funding troops on the ground in Iraq, banning torture, and providing relief for hurricane ravaged states against the interests of our most pristine wilderness as a special holiday gift to the oil and gas industry. It violated Senate rules for including items unrelated to Defense issues in the Defense budget. Even so, it would have passed except for the success of the filibuster.

BACKGROUND:

SENATE APPROVED BUDGET BILL THAT PERMITTED DRILLING FOR OIL IN ARCTIC REFUGE LAST YEAR.

By a 52-47 vote margin last year, the US Senate originally passed their version of that year's Budget Bill that includes a provision to offer oil leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The House of Representatives did not include Arctic Drilling in their version of the Budget Bill, so as far as that bill is concerned, it died there.

2 Democrats, Mary Landrieu (D-La) and Ben Nelson (D-NE) voted for the budget. 5 Republicans, Norm Coleman (R-MN), Susan Collins (R-ME), Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Lincoln Chafee (R-RI), and Mike DeWine (R-OH) opposed it because of the drilling provision.

A big disappointment was Gordon Smith (R-OR), who previously had voted against drilling in the Refuge and who voted for an amendment to strip it from the bill, but when that failed, broke a campaign promise and voted for the bill. Gordon Smith also voted for the Defense Bill with it's Arctic Drilling rider.

The Arctic Rider in the Defense Bill was only stopped by threat of filibuster.

Tell Oil Companies You Will Boycott !

True Majority has organized a pledge to boycott any oil company that drills in the Arctic Refuge. Take the Pledge and Tell the Oil Companies. If drilling is passed by the full Congress, the success of this boycott will be critical.

We must persevere. Once there is oil development on the coastal plain of the Arctic Refuge, turning a pristine wilderness into an industrial park, there will be no turning back. Please make a promise to yourself now to stay involved over the next several weeks and to get at least three other people to take action with you.

If you would like to be on the email list please send an email to latest@arcticwildlife.org">latest@arcticwildlife.org and you will be updated on the latest news and what else you can do to help. You can be assured that we never will disclose, sell, nor distribute your email address to any third party for any purpose!

Most Americans are opposed to drilling in the Arctic Refuge. We must be confident that that the US Congress will ultimately listen to us and protect this national treasure. A recent Zogby International poll found that a majority of American people favored keeping the drilling out of the Refuge, 55 percent to 38 percent.

There are some places that should be off-limits to oil drilling and industrial development, and the Arctic Refuge is one of them. The harm to wildlife habitat for polar bear, caribou, and millions of migratory birds would be permanent and irreparable.

We have a moral responsibility to save wild places like the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for future generations.

That’s why our country has remained committed to its protection for nearly 50 years.