An Environmental Living, Ethics, & Spirituality Site: Eco-Spirit

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

There is no other refuge in the United States where musk oxen roam, caribou calve, or polar bears stalk their prey, make dens, and raise their cubs. Hundreds of millions of migratory birds rely upon the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) for their nesting and feeding grounds. And the ANWR coastal plain is an especially sensitive location. For Americans, Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is unique in its species and habitat. But the Bush Administration and their buddies in the petroleum industry can’t wait to explore and drill for oil in this special place that is supposed to be protected from such extractive industrial development.

The U.S. Congress is currently considering several pieces of legislation that would allow oil exploration and development in the Arctic Refuge. Most insidious of these are parts of House and Senate Budget Resolutions that cannot be filibustered by pro-environment members of Congress who oppose oil drilling. Others are a National Energy Bill that includes oil exploration and drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, per President Bush’s wish.

The best option to save the ANWR is a newly introduced Senate and House Wilderness Bill to Protect Arctic Refuge Coastal Plain. If passed, this legislation would make the Coastal Plain completely off limits to oil rigs and pipelines. Since introduction of the bi-partisan legislation (S. 261 and H.R. 567) , more than 100 House members and more than 20 senators have signed on as co-sponsors.

Take Action!

Contact your elected officials and let them know you oppose petroleum exploration and development in the Arctic Refuge, and you want the rare and endangered species that live there protected. Ask that they oppose any budget resolutions or an Energy Bill that includes oil exploration and drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Also ask that they support the WIlderness Bill to Protect the Arctic Refuge (S. 261 and H.R. 567) :

To e-mail your U.S. Congressional Representative go to www.house.gov. To e-mail your Senator go to www.senate.gov.

Also contact President Bush and let him know you oppose oil exploration and drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. To e-mail the President go to http://www.whitehouse.gov/webmail.