Bush's Drain America First Plan - Alaska Redux

[Timber Loftis]

TL's comment: I may support President Bush vis-a-vis the impending War, aka Spring Break Iraq '03, but I still [img]graemlins/1pissed.gif[/img] hate [img]graemlins/1pissed.gif[/img] his irresponsible environmental policies. On a side note, he has cut Clean Air Act limits again, which burns me personally. On the other hand, it certainly makes me more worth $300/hr. when it comes to the company(ies) I represent, allowing me to schlep millions of dollars away from them and onto you, my fellow taxpayers. And don't think I'm joking, because it is sure as hell what I do.

BIG NOTE: this particular area was set aside for oil drilling in times of need. That hasn't occurred yet, even in the darkest (turn your lights off to save oil) hours of WWII. But, the damned little monkey wants it. Another toy he's got his beady little sights set on. Bush = kid in candy store.

But, please, read on...

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is not the only Alaskan
wilderness endangered by President Bush's "drain America first"
energy plan. Right now, the Bush administration is pushing a scheme
to promote oil development in Alaska's Western Arctic, a sprawling
land of snow-clad peaks, glacial valleys, rolling tundra meadows, and
unsurpassed wildlife populations.

Please register your opposition to this destructive plan today by
going to
http://www.savebiogems.org/watchlist...ep=2&item=1492

The Western Arctic is the calving ground for a caribou herd numbering
450,000, as well as the summer nesting ground for millions of birds
from six different continents. Many Native Alaskans, who have lived
here for thousands of years, depend on the area's caribou, waterfowl,
and fish for their survival.

Known formally as the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, this vast
Western Arctic wilderness was set aside in 1923 for oil production in
time of pressing national need. But not even during the darkest days
of World War II or the oil embargo of the 1970s was it ever
developed.

Now, though, the Bush administration is targeting this pristine
Arctic ecosystem for rampant development. Two of its
proposed "alternatives" would lease between 96 and 100 percent of the
reserve for oil and gas development.

The NRDC BioGems Campaign is advocating full protection for 35
percent of the reserve that encompasses critical wildlife habitats.
Oil drilling would be prohibited in these habitats, which include a
polar bear denning area, a lagoon inhabited by spotted seals and
beluga whales, and a river nesting area for peregrine falcons.

The Bush administration is taking public comments on the fate of the
Western Arctic through March 18th. Please tell the administration to
adopt a plan that responsibly balances energy development with
protecting Arctic wildlife.

Take one minute to send your message right now by going to
http://www.savebiogems.org/watchlist...ep=2&item=1492

Sincerely,

John H. Adams
President
NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council)

. . .

BioGems: Saving Endangered Wild Places
A project of the Natural Resources Defense Council
http://www.savebiogems.org

[John D Harris]

I agree with what you had writen earlier about preparing the site for oil exploration, not tapping into it right now. "Hale" most people thunk we get most of our oil from the mideast, the USA's largest oil imports come from Canada, and Mexico.

[The Hierophant]

Dammit! Another American-Only environmentalist group.
I detest oil drilling as much as the next guy, but I can't join the protest as I live in New Zealand. Aint that just a downer.
Well, I'll be vigilant and make damn sure that oil drilling doesn't expand profusely onto NZ shores.
Screw material wealth, I'd rather keep the landscape clean.

[Yorick]

Bugger.

[wellard]

Keep on fighting the good fight Timber [img]graemlins/tgestar1.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/tgestar2.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/tgestar3.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/tgestar4.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/tgestar5.gif[/img]

I wonder how many SUV - 4wd owners who do not live in the countryside are reading this *glare* [img]graemlins/stop.gif[/img]

[Gangrell]

Ugh, it's like the guy has nothing better to do. First he screws everyone on the health care benefits, now he is going to go in Alaska and mess with it.

...Damn wanker [img]graemlins/verysad.gif[/img]

[Gangrell]

Pardon my language by the way.

I will just sit here and chuckle amiably while y'all get in a lather about poor pristine Alaska. Of all the things in this country to get yer panties in a knot over, drilling in remote locations is the last issue that should be worried about. Seriously TL, do you really think that the earth will quit spinning, the sky will fall and that Alaska will be a smoking wasteland if we drill up there?

Just an addition to my above statement. Considerably less modern drilling techniques were used heavily all over Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Texas and California....last time I was in any of those states there were plenty of living critters there..so much so that in some of those states they have to have unrestricted hunting seasons to manage the wildlife populations....things have progressed to a considerably less destructive level these days since the first heavy drilling in this country of ours. (I would also note that heavy drilling and production hasn't killed off much of the life in the middle east....

[Rokenn]

The real irony here is this is the same president that declared the Florida coast off-limits to driling at his brother's request. I guess all we need to do is get a Bush elected to the govenership in Alaska.