Election Puts Arctic Refuge in the Crosshairs Again

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ELECTION PUTS ARCTIC REFUGE IN THE CROSSHAIRS AGAIN
Wilderness Society Urges Concerned Citizens to Fight Backdoor Arctic Drilling Plan

WASHINGTON, DC, November 16, 2004 –-/WORLD-WIRE/-- In the aftermath of the November 2 election, The Wilderness Society today urged concerned citizens to contact their Senators at http://www.wilderness.org/arctic to demand protection for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, a pristine wilderness that once again is threatened by oil drilling.

Recent news reports have revealed that the oil industry working with some Republican allies in the Senate, intend to push for oil drilling in the Arctic Refuge. They would do so by attaching the measure to next spring’s budget resolution, a backdoor maneuver that would bypass Senate Rules that require 60 votes to pass highly controversial proposals.

“Drilling boosters have made no secret of their plans to try to pass Arctic drilling in the new Congress,” said William Meadows, President of The Wilderness Society. “But time and again, the vast majority of Americans have expressed that they want the Arctic Refuge to remain just that – a wildlife refuge – and together, we won’t stand by and watch as America’s wild places are sold off to the highest bidder. We’re calling on concerned Americans to visit http://www.wilderness.org/arctic today to contact their Senators and let them know that the sanctity of the Arctic Refuge is non-negotiable.”

Past attempts to change the law and allow drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge have been repeatedly fended off by the overwhelming opposition and vigilance of conservation-minded Americans. In the last three years, bipartisan majorities in Congress have soundly defeated Arctic drilling proposals twice. Oil drilling boosters have come far short of the 60 votes necessary to pass such a highly controversial proposal in the U.S. Senate. Just last spring, threats to pass a budget resolution with a drilling provision in the Arctic Refuge’s Coastal Plain never materialized.

“Americans who are disgusted by this backdoor plan to sneak a corporate giveaway into the budget have a chance to make a difference by contacting their Senators now and urging them to keep the Arctic Refuge just the way it is: wild, unspoiled, and free of oil rigs,” said Jim Waltman, Wildlife Refuge Program Director for The Wilderness Society. “Congress may have changed, but it still doesn’t make sense to ruin one of America’s last unspoiled and irreplaceable wild places for just a few months worth of oil that wouldn’t be available to consumers for ten years. There are far better ways to meet our energy needs, like increasing the efficiency of our vehicles and investing in renewable forms of energy.”

The Arctic Refuge is home to more abundant and diverse wildlife than any protected area in the circumpolar north. The US Fish and Wildlife Service called the refuge’s 1.5 million-acre Coastal Plain – where oil drilling is proposed – the “biological heart” of the refuge. Home to thousands of calving caribou, denning polar bears, roaming grizzlies, rare musk oxen, and millions of migratory birds, the Coastal Plain is also considered “America’s Serengeti.” To the Gwich’in Indians of Alaska, who rely heavily on the refuge’s caribou herd for their food and culture, the refuge is known as the “sacred place where life began.”

Founded in 1935, The Wilderness Society is a nonprofit conservation organization with a quarter-million members and supporters. The group is dedicated to the creation of a nationwide network of wild lands through public education, scientific analysis, and advocacy. Its goal is to ensure that future generations can enjoy the clean air and water, beauty, wildlife, and opportunity for spiritual renewal provided by the pristine forests, rivers, deserts, and mountains owned by all Americans.

To receive Wilderness Society news releases and tip sheets online, please send an e-mail message to: newsroom@tws.org. Type “Get News Online” in the subject line and include your name and news affiliation. Also, you can subscribe online at www.wilderness.org.

CONTACT:
Pete Rafle
(202) 431-2807

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