View Full Version : Arctic Wildlife Refuge Vote Today
discretedancer
03-18-2005, 04:46 PM
http://ga4.org/campaign/boycott
Sign the petition to tell Oil Companies we'll boycott them if they rape THE REFUGE.
This link will surely be followed by a list of companies that sign off from stealing THE REFUGE's pristine heritage, and those companies will be the only ones I patronize.
BigGreenMnM
03-19-2005, 06:10 AM
I just watched the Gov of alaska on the bill mahr show on hbo.
My understanding of some of what he said is that the PEOPLE of Alaska want this drilling to be done.He also said,nobody knows how much oil is there.(or not)
discretedancer
03-19-2005, 06:33 AM
FIrst, since both the Gov and his people PERSONALLY PROFIT from the oil industry (to the tune of $3,000 per year per person, if I read right) of course they want it. Problem is, it's FEDERAL land not STATE land. In reality, those per-person subsidies for existing operations on federal land should not go to state residents only.
Second, He hasn't got a record of sitting down with both sides and discussing/learning, so I'd doubt any scienntific statements (or claims that we don't know something) he makes
Third, I'd be curious why he lives in Alaska if not for the wide open spaces...when they're all filled with drilling rigs, will he still want to go there?
Fourth, if we invested some of those personal payments to infusing Alaska with other industries than oil and mining, maybe they wouldn't be so dependent.
discretedancer
03-19-2005, 07:37 AM
Q & A's about the Arctic Refuge Friday, 4:45 PM
A look at the battle over oil drilling in the Alaska wilderness
What to do with the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge? In the past decade, no single environmental issue has been more explosive. Should it be shielded from the oil industry? Or should a section be opened to extract oil for a hungry economy?
Those policy questions aren't answered here, but below are some answers to background questions to frame the debate among Republicans, Democrats, industry and environmentalists.
What is the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge?
Often referred to by the acronym ANWR, the refuge in northeast Alaska covers 19.6 million acres, an area about the size of South Carolina.
It is home to 45 species of mammals, ranging from the small pygmy shrew to the large bowhead whale. Others include caribou, wolves, Dall sheep, moose, musk oxen and polar, grizzly and black bears. Waters in the refuge are home to 36 species of fish, and 180 species of birds live in or pass through the refuge on their migrations, including snow geese and peregrine falcons.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which manages ANWR, says one factor that makes the refuge "a very special place is that, as far as we know, there are no species that should be here but are not, and no species that should not be here, but are. In other words, no species of plant or animal is missing, and no outside species has invaded the refuge."
To the west of the refuge lies Prudhoe Bay and existing oil fields that account for 15 percent of domestic production. Farther west is the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, an area designated by Congress for oil production and which the Bush administration is now opening up to exploration. The reserve, Prudhoe Bay and ANWR's coastal plain make up the geographical area known as the North Slope.
Where would ANWR drilling take place?
By law, only a specific area on ANWR's coastal plain may be opened to drilling should Congress vote to do so. Known as the 1002 Area, it covers 1.5 million acres.
Any production wells there would be connected to the existing Trans-Alaska Pipeline.
Drilling supporters say the total area needed for the drilling facilities would be just 2,000 acres. They also cite technical improvements that have slashed the size of drilling sites.
Environmentalists counter that the 2,000 acres don't take into account the miles of roads and pipeline that would be needed to support each drilling site.
Q & A's continued @ http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7159486/page/2/ Check it out.
discretedancer
03-19-2005, 07:38 AM
WEAR A GREEN RIBBON FOR THE ARCTIC REFUGE Friday, 7:49 PM
Subject: WEAR A GREEN RIBBON FOR THE ARCTIC REFUGE-
TIE A GREEN RIBBON:
UNITE AROUND THE ARCTIC REFUGE
America's Arctic Refuge is in danger. This week, oil interests
came one step closer to ruining the wild coastal plain of the
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge with sprawling oil development.
In a backdoor scheme cooked up by drilling proponents, the U.S.
Senate has included language in the Federal Budget that could
remove protections prohibiting oil development in the biological
heart of the Refuge. BUT THE FIGHT IS FAR FROM OVER!
Make a statement today. Show your solidarity for America's
Arctic Refuge with a visible symbol -- a green ribbon.
Tie it in your yard, hang it on your home, pin it on your
clothes or wear it around your wrist. Then pass it on. Give
ribbons to your friends and family.
Millions of Americans feel strongly about this issue -- and
together we will NOT be ignored. Show your support until
Congress assures us that the Arctic Refuge is safe from oil
drills.
*****************************************
WHY THIS WILL WORK
Millions of Americans have made it plain that they want the
Arctic Refuge protected and yet some members of Congress
continue to ignore us. It's time to step up the pressure.
When your Members of Congress come home for recess they will see
green ribbons on every street. Strangers who know nothing about
the Arctic Refuge will ask about your ribbon and you'll tell
them. Soon green ribbons will be tied in neighborhoods across
the country, news media in every state will take notice, and
Congress will not be able to ignore us.
We are counting on YOU to spread the word. Forward this message
to your friends and family. Then buy a spool of ribbon and hand
out ribbons to everyone you know -- at work, at church, and
everywhere you go! It's easy!
Stand up for wildlife and America's wild places and tell oil
interests that they have crossed the line. Don't sit quietly
while our wild heritage is sold to Big Oil.
POLITICAL UPDATE
The House passed its Budget measure last night, 218-214. It did
not include any explicit language about Arctic oil drilling. But
it does contain instructions to other committees that create a
loophole for drilling language to be included. The extremely
close nature of the vote offers hope to conservationists as
responsibility for the budget moves to a House/Senate conference
committee.
Both the Senate and the House have left for a two-week spring
recess, returning to work April 4th.
During recess, congressional staff members will begin preparing
for the Budget Conference Committee, a process that reconciles
differences between the House and Senate Budget bills in order
to present a single Budget for a final vote by both houses.
Arctic activists are planning events in several, targeted home
districts. The political message during this time: Please vote
against any conference report that would instruct committees to
pass Arctic drilling as part of the Budget bill.
*****************************************
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Wear your green ribbons, and decorate freely with them. Make an
appointment with your member of Congress and Senators and carry
them the message that the Budget conference bill must not
contain language that would open the Arctic Refuge to oil
drilling. [
discretedancer
03-19-2005, 07:45 AM
I have arranged for a supplier of the car magnets (you know,the 5" ones for breast cancer and such) to do green ones - and donate portion of the proceeds to efforts to fight the drilling.
They will cost about $6 each, and can be ordered by emailing me or PMing
We will have them up on several websites soon, lett me know if interested.