|
URGENT! House and Senate Must Ensure Budget Measure is Free of Arctic Oil Drilling
On March 17, the House and Senate passed competing versions of a FY06 budget resolution, and yes, the Senate version includes language that could pave the way for drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Nevertheless, drilling is not a done deal, and conservation activists need to keep reminding Congress that we like our Arctic just the way it is – wild, unspoiled, and free of oil drilling. There remain many legislative steps between now and passage of the resolution, and we need your help to keep the pressure on Congress.
Please add your own words to our letter below, then click on Send this Message.
| Sample Letter for Campaign |
Subject: Budget Conference: Remove Arctic Oil Drilling!
Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,
As the Budget resolution goes to conference committee, one outstanding issue that are is vitally important to me is the fate of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. No honest and viable rationale exists for allowing oil rigs in the Refuge, and most Americans know that.
A vote for oil development is a vote for Big Oil and their lobbyists. I urge you in the strongest possible terms to do all you can to keep Arctic oil drilling out of the final Budget Resolution. If that fails, please vote against any final Budget Resolution that includes reconciliation instructions that could open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Americans have worked for more than 50 years to protect this unparalleled place. Don't let its desecration happen on your watch!
Sincerely,
|
Campaign Launched:
March 21, 2005
|
NEXT STEP: BUDGET RESOLUTION CONFERENCE
By sneaking drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge into the congressional budget resolution and reconciliation process, drilling interests are attempting to circumvent the normal process for dealing with controversial proposals.
The battle to protect the Arctic Refuge is far from over, despite the Senate’s failure to strip a Refuge drilling provision from their first round budget. ( To see how your Senator voted on that amendment, click here: http://ga1.org/ct/C712M241dqXb
The federal budget process is a long process, and your Members of Congress need to hear from Arctic Refuge supporters every step of the way.
The budget resolution sets overall tax and spending targets to guide Congress as it writes bills later in the year that make actual changes in programs and tax laws. Each house passed its version last week. The Senate includes explicit “reconciliation instructions” calling for drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The House version doesn’t mention drilling, but it does contain a loophole that could allow the House Resources committee to push for drilling in the later reconciliation process.
In the next step in the budget process, a conference committee, formed from Members of both bodies of Congress will attempt to iron out the differences between the spending plans passed by the House and Senate. Congressional leadership needs to know that including Arctic Refuge drilling in the final resolution will make an already controversial budget too difficult to pass.
Please take action now by reminding your congressional members how important it is to protect the Arctic Refuge from oil drilling.
NOT THIS PLACE
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.
NOT A SOLUTION TO ENERGY PROBLEMS
Drilling in the Refuge won’t solve our energy problems. It is not worth damaging America’s greatest national wildlife refuge for what the U.S. Geological Survey says would be far less oil than the U.S. consumes in a single
year.
It’s misleading and untrue to say oil drilling won’t harm the environment, since the result would be a sprawling industrial complex of drilling sites spread throughout one and a half million acres of critical wildlife habitat. Hundreds of miles of pipelines and roads, airstrips, power lines and pumping stations and housing for
workers would be needed, as well as tankers to transport this oil -- risking further oil spills in critical habitat. And even the oil companies admit none of the oil would reach the market for 10 years.
The best ways to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil are to conserve more, make cars more fuel efficient, and invest in renewable forms of energy like wind and solar.
PLEASE TAKE ACTION NOW!
|
