bush whacking
Robert Redford is an ex-bushy too, joy*
Dear NRDC BioGems Defender,
>> >
>> > I wanted you to know that the Bush administration is using the recent rise
>>in
>> > gasoline prices as a pretext to sacrifice one of America's greatest
>>natural
>> > treasures -- the Western Arctic Reserve of Alaska -- to massive oil
>>development.
>> >
>> > We have a very narrow window in which to block this corporate-sponsored
>>raid on
>> > our natural heritage. Over the next 30 days, the Bush administration is
>>taking
>> > public comments on its plan to put 96 percent of the reserve's
>>wildlife-filled
>> > northeast region on the auction block.
>> >
>> > I am asking you and hundreds of thousands of others to join me in flooding
>>the
>> > Bush administration with messages of protest over the next critical weeks.
>> >
>> > Please do your part by going to
>> > http://www.savebiogems.org/westernarctic/takeaction.asp?RR0407
>> > and sending an electronic message telling the Bureau of Land Management to
>> > withdraw its destructive plan and to permanently protect the reserve's
>>world-
>> > class wildlife habitats.
>> >
>> > Then please forward my message to as many people as you can.
>> >
>> > The Western Arctic Reserve may be less well-known than the Arctic National
>> > Wildlife Refuge -- which lies directly to the east -- but its wildlife
>> > populations are every bit as unique, spectacular and endangered.
>> >
>> > I am especially concerned about the Western Arctic Reserve's Teshekpuk
>>Lake
>> > region -- one of the most important tundra-wetland ecosystems left on our
>> > planet. This vast network of coastal lagoons, deep water lakes, sedge
>>grass
>> > meadows and braided streams provides the critical calving grounds for the
>> > 45,000-member Teshekpuk Lake caribou herd.
>> >
>> > Thirty percent of all Pacific black brant also take refuge in these safe
>>and
>> > remote wetlands, remaining flightless while they replace their old
>>feathers.
>> > Steller's eiders, northern pintails, tundra swans and rare yellow-billed
>>loons
>> > are just a few of the other amazing species that flock to Teshekpuk Lake
>>to
>> > nest, free from disturbance. Come fall, some of these birds will migrate
>>as far
>> > south as Antarctica.
>> >
>> > Polar bears roam the coastal areas of Teshekpuk Lake from summer to early
>> > winter. And people are counting on the lake for survival as well. The
>>Inupiat
>> > Eskimos have subsisted here in balance with nature for at least 8,000
>>years by
>> > following the herds of caribou.
>> >
>> > Incredibly, the Western Arctic has never been granted full federal
>>protection.
>> > That's because it was set aside as the "National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska"
>> > nearly a century ago. But Congress also stipulated that this oil field be
>> > tapped only in time of dire national need.
>> >
>> > Our government kept oil rigs out of the Western Arctic Reserve even during
>>the
>> > darkest days of World War II and the oil embargo of the 1970s. As a
>>result,
>> > most of the reserve has remained pristine -- its primeval beauty unmarred
>>by
>> > roads, oil rigs or other signs of human interference.
>> >
>> > Interior secretaries since the 1970s have recognized the need for special
>> > protection in the Teshekpuk Lake area. But if the Bush administration gets
>>its
>> > way, Teshekpuk Lake will soon be stripped of most of those protections and
>>sold
>> > to the highest bidder.
>> >
>> > And for what? Drilling in the Western Arctic would have no effect on gas
>>prices
>> > at the pump. Its oil would take years to get to market and would never
>>equal
>> > more than one or two percent of America's oil supply -- a tiny drop in the
>> > bucket of our nation's oil consumption.
>> >
>> > Only one group would benefit from destroying the Western Arctic: the oil
>> > giants. Meanwhile, they would turn one of the planet's most fragile homes
>>for
>> > Arctic wildlife into an industrial zone of pipelines, producing wells and
>> > contaminated waste sites.
>> >
>> > The Western Arctic Reserve is supposed to be an energy savings account of
>>last
>> > resort. A recent poll shows that the vast majority of Americans would
>>rather
>> > save oil and lower gas prices by adopting tougher fuel economy standards
>>for
>> > our cars and trucks.
>> >
>> > Please join me in telling the Bush administration to follow the cleaner
>>and
>> > more self-reliant path of fuel efficiency -- and to put Teshekpuk Lake and
>> > other critical habitats off limits to the oil industry.
>> >
>> > Please go to
>> > http://www.savebiogems.org/westernarctic/takeaction.asp?RR0407
>> > and tell the Bush administration to withdraw its destructive plan. And
>>remember
>> > to forward my message to your friends, colleagues and family.
>> >
>> > This fight represents one of our very last chances to preserve untrammeled
>> > wilderness as we first found it. Let's speak with one voice and stop this
>> > senseless attack on one of the world's greatest sanctuaries for Arctic
>> > wildlife. Thank you.
>> >
>> > Sincerely,
>> >
>> > Robert Redford
>> > Board of Trustees
>> > Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
>> >
>> > . . .
>> >
>> > BioGems: Saving Endangered Wild Places
>> > A project of the Natural Resources Defense Council
>> > http://www.savebiogems.org
Dear NRDC BioGems Defender,
>> >
>> > I wanted you to know that the Bush administration is using the recent rise
>>in
>> > gasoline prices as a pretext to sacrifice one of America's greatest
>>natural
>> > treasures -- the Western Arctic Reserve of Alaska -- to massive oil
>>development.
>> >
>> > We have a very narrow window in which to block this corporate-sponsored
>>raid on
>> > our natural heritage. Over the next 30 days, the Bush administration is
>>taking
>> > public comments on its plan to put 96 percent of the reserve's
>>wildlife-filled
>> > northeast region on the auction block.
>> >
>> > I am asking you and hundreds of thousands of others to join me in flooding
>>the
>> > Bush administration with messages of protest over the next critical weeks.
>> >
>> > Please do your part by going to
>> > http://www.savebiogems.org/westernarctic/takeaction.asp?RR0407
>> > and sending an electronic message telling the Bureau of Land Management to
>> > withdraw its destructive plan and to permanently protect the reserve's
>>world-
>> > class wildlife habitats.
>> >
>> > Then please forward my message to as many people as you can.
>> >
>> > The Western Arctic Reserve may be less well-known than the Arctic National
>> > Wildlife Refuge -- which lies directly to the east -- but its wildlife
>> > populations are every bit as unique, spectacular and endangered.
>> >
>> > I am especially concerned about the Western Arctic Reserve's Teshekpuk
>>Lake
>> > region -- one of the most important tundra-wetland ecosystems left on our
>> > planet. This vast network of coastal lagoons, deep water lakes, sedge
>>grass
>> > meadows and braided streams provides the critical calving grounds for the
>> > 45,000-member Teshekpuk Lake caribou herd.
>> >
>> > Thirty percent of all Pacific black brant also take refuge in these safe
>>and
>> > remote wetlands, remaining flightless while they replace their old
>>feathers.
>> > Steller's eiders, northern pintails, tundra swans and rare yellow-billed
>>loons
>> > are just a few of the other amazing species that flock to Teshekpuk Lake
>>to
>> > nest, free from disturbance. Come fall, some of these birds will migrate
>>as far
>> > south as Antarctica.
>> >
>> > Polar bears roam the coastal areas of Teshekpuk Lake from summer to early
>> > winter. And people are counting on the lake for survival as well. The
>>Inupiat
>> > Eskimos have subsisted here in balance with nature for at least 8,000
>>years by
>> > following the herds of caribou.
>> >
>> > Incredibly, the Western Arctic has never been granted full federal
>>protection.
>> > That's because it was set aside as the "National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska"
>> > nearly a century ago. But Congress also stipulated that this oil field be
>> > tapped only in time of dire national need.
>> >
>> > Our government kept oil rigs out of the Western Arctic Reserve even during
>>the
>> > darkest days of World War II and the oil embargo of the 1970s. As a
>>result,
>> > most of the reserve has remained pristine -- its primeval beauty unmarred
>>by
>> > roads, oil rigs or other signs of human interference.
>> >
>> > Interior secretaries since the 1970s have recognized the need for special
>> > protection in the Teshekpuk Lake area. But if the Bush administration gets
>>its
>> > way, Teshekpuk Lake will soon be stripped of most of those protections and
>>sold
>> > to the highest bidder.
>> >
>> > And for what? Drilling in the Western Arctic would have no effect on gas
>>prices
>> > at the pump. Its oil would take years to get to market and would never
>>equal
>> > more than one or two percent of America's oil supply -- a tiny drop in the
>> > bucket of our nation's oil consumption.
>> >
>> > Only one group would benefit from destroying the Western Arctic: the oil
>> > giants. Meanwhile, they would turn one of the planet's most fragile homes
>>for
>> > Arctic wildlife into an industrial zone of pipelines, producing wells and
>> > contaminated waste sites.
>> >
>> > The Western Arctic Reserve is supposed to be an energy savings account of
>>last
>> > resort. A recent poll shows that the vast majority of Americans would
>>rather
>> > save oil and lower gas prices by adopting tougher fuel economy standards
>>for
>> > our cars and trucks.
>> >
>> > Please join me in telling the Bush administration to follow the cleaner
>>and
>> > more self-reliant path of fuel efficiency -- and to put Teshekpuk Lake and
>> > other critical habitats off limits to the oil industry.
>> >
>> > Please go to
>> > http://www.savebiogems.org/westernarctic/takeaction.asp?RR0407
>> > and tell the Bush administration to withdraw its destructive plan. And
>>remember
>> > to forward my message to your friends, colleagues and family.
>> >
>> > This fight represents one of our very last chances to preserve untrammeled
>> > wilderness as we first found it. Let's speak with one voice and stop this
>> > senseless attack on one of the world's greatest sanctuaries for Arctic
>> > wildlife. Thank you.
>> >
>> > Sincerely,
>> >
>> > Robert Redford
>> > Board of Trustees
>> > Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
>> >
>> > . . .
>> >
>> > BioGems: Saving Endangered Wild Places
>> > A project of the Natural Resources Defense Council
>> > http://www.savebiogems.org