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Energy Bill Resurfaces -- Your Calls Needed
"Bad ideas never die." That’s a famous Washington, D.C., adage whose sorry truth is on display again. The House of Representatives is using rising gasoline prices as an excuse to dredge up its dirty, destructive energy bill for another series of votes, including a renewed effort attempt to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling.
The package of legislation that’s on the schedule for this week, H.R. 6, would pave the way for drilling and mining on our most special public lands, from the Arctic to Otero Mesa of New Mexico and the Red Desert of Wyoming. At the same time, it would roll back environmental safeguards that protect our air, water, land and health. And it won’t do a thing to bring gas prices down.
The House is likely to consider this bill as soon as Tuesday, June 15. Your calls are urgently needed -- please call 202-224-3121 and ask to be connected to your Representative. Tell him/her to vote against the dirty, dangerous energy bill and against any attempt to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling. If you absolutely can't call, then please send this letter today.
| Sample Letter for Campaign |
Subject: Oppose Energy Bills
Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,
I write to urge you to oppose the energy bills scheduled for consideration on the House floor this week. These bills fail to meet America's energy needs, but carry countless provisions that endanger this country's wildest, most important natural places. By putting drilling first on America's public lands, these bills promise lasting harm without offering lasting energy solutions.
The Energy Information Agency has confirmed that these bills would do nothing to bring down gas prices. But it is clear that they would weaken environmental protections on millions of acres of land that belongs to all Americans.
They would hand over billions in taxpayer subsidies and tax breaks to corporate special interests. And they would open the pristine Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to industrial energy activity that would surely destroy it, all for what at best would be a few months' energy supply for this nation and even that is a decade away from consumers.
Please vote to oppose this ill-conceived energy legislation and to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
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Campaign Launched:
June 12, 2004
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Although the precise language of the bills to be voted on this week could change at any time, House Majority Leader Tom Delay (R-TX) has indicated he plans to bring up the conference report from H.R. 6, last year’s disastrous Energy Bill. Since that report (thanks to your help) didn’t include drilling in the Arctic refuge, House leaders plan to put that to a separate vote next week, too.
We also expect to see two other bills, including one that would radically redefine “renewable energy” to include such destructive and polluting categories as garbage incinerators and hydroelectric dams, then waive environmental protection requirements for them. Another would also roll back pollution rules to expedite construction of oil refineries in “economically disadvantaged” areas. All in all, these provisions will enrich an already wildly profitable energy industry through subsidies that would run into the billions, put public health at risk and advance a sound natural energy policy not at all.
The measure to open the Arctic contains a particularly cynical ploy, tying drilling to renewal of the widely supported Abandoned Mine Lands Reclamation program,
Several reports from the Energy Information Agency (the Department of Energy’s research arm) confirm that nothing in the House’s energy proposals would bring gas prices down. Among other things, this version of H.R. 6 would:
- Make oil and gas development the top priority on our Western public lands, threatening wildlife, communities, air and water resources, and historic and cultural values;
- Exempt the oil and gas companies from provisions of the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Clean Water Act, thus increasing water pollution from drill sites and saddling communities and residents with clean-up costs; and,
- “Fast track” drilling permits by giving land managers only 30 days to approve detailed and complicated applications while allowing oil and gas companies up to two years to comply with the rules.
None of these industry-written provisions will do anything to lower pump prices for gasoline. But they will lower to the vanishing point sensible standards for protecting America’s public lands.
Please Take Action Now!
Calling your representative’s office is painless, quick and easy and our message here is a very simple one. Just ask for the staff person handling energy issues for the representative. After identifying yourself, ask your representative to vote against the energy bill when it comes to the floor, and to vote against any attempt to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for drilling. If the staff person seems amenable to a longer call, you can also make these additional points:
- Drilling in the Arctic will do nothing to reduce gasoline prices, but will ruin a wild and pristine place for a few months’ worth of oil consumers won’t see for a decade or more.
- These bills have nothing to do with helping consumers at the pump; they have everything to do with political and electoral posturing.
- This cynical, pointless game only wastes time on dead-end schemes when legislators should be insisting on solutions that would actually make a difference and set us on course to a sustainable new energy future.
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