Subject: Senate Vote on Arctic Refuge Amendment
Date: Dec 1 01:23:59 2001
From: Jack Kintner - kintner at nas.com



I may be breaking a rule doing this, but it's important.

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>Date: Fri, 30 Nov 2001 19:34:50 -0800
>To: wildnw at onenw.org
>From: Joe Scott <jscott at ecosystem.org>
>Subject: Senate Vote on Arctic Refuge Amendment
>Sender: owner-wildnw at onenw.org
>Reply-To: Joe Scott <jscott at ecosystem.org>
>
>
>
>Senate Poised to Vote on Arctic Refuge Amendment!
>
>Here we go again! This Monday (December 3) at 5 p.m. eastern time, the Senate is scheduled to vote on the fate of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge! This will be the critical moment of the Refuge to date this session of the Senate!
>
>Unfortunately, Senator Murkowski and other oil industry allies have tried to exploit the tragic events of September 11 to pass controversial energy legislation that s bad for the environment, bad for consumers, bad for our economy, and even bad for our energy security. First, early this fall, as our nation sought to address its critical security needs, Senator Inhofe tried to block the Defense Authorization Bill in order to force a vote on Arctic drilling and energy. Then, when the Senate took up the Aviation Security Bill, to protect our airports and citizens as we fly, Senator Gramm from Texas offered an amendment that would mandate drilling in the Arctic Refuge coastal plain.
>
>Earlier this month, as the Senate began to debate the future of our economy with the Economic Stimulus Package, Senator Craig from Idaho filed H.R 4 as an amendment to that bill. That bill has since been removed from consideration while the two parties attempt to reach some agreement.
>
>That brings us to today. The Senate is debating the Railroad Retirement Bill. Senators Lott, Murkowski and Brownback have teamed up to offer an amendment to this bill. They have packaged together as an amendment H.R. 4 (the House-passed energy bill) and a moratorium on human cloning; the railroad bill has already passed the House and has 75 co-sponsors in the Senate.
>
>These Senators have been trying to hold up Senate business since September 11th. There are appropriations bills that fund the government, a bill that we need to stimulate the economy, a bill to help our nation s farmers, and now this bill to help railroad retirees. These are all pieces of legislation that are important to us as Americans. H.R 4 is a threat to our way of life, a corporate give-away and a destruction of our public lands, including the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
>
>TAKE ACTION NOW!!!
>
>We need our Senators to get SWAMPED with faxes, e-mails, and phone calls from their people telling them to kill the Lott / Murkowski / Brownback amendment and to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. This takes only a few moments and can really make a huge difference! Here are some resources to use.
>
>
>Talking Points for Phone Calls
>
>This is easy and VERY effective.
>
>Call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121 and ask for your Senator s office.
>
>They will connect you directly at no additional cost. Three things to say:
>
>1. Tell them your full name and town.
>2. Tell them you re calling about a vote on Monday
>3. Tell them to Please vote to protect the Arctic Refuge and to kill the Lott / Murkowski / Brownback amendment to the Railroad Retirement bill.
>
>You can ask the aide to repeat it back to you to make sure they got the info correctly. Or you can just say thank you and hang up. Very simple, takes about 45 seconds. Why not do it right now? There s your phone and you have all the info you need!
>
>The refuge is depending on you!!! Pick up the phone and go!
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>E-mails and Faxes
>
>
>
>To send an e-mail or to print a letter to fax, visit the Alaska Wilderness League at <http://www.alaskawild.org/action.html>www.alaskawild.org/action.html. When you get to this site, pick the option to send an e-mail to your Senators asking them to support the Arctic Refuge. You will be able to edit the letter however you wish. Make sure that you add in a line asking them specifically to vote to kill the Lott / Murkowski / Brownback amendment to the Railroad Retirement Bill. You can also add in any of the talking points below.
>
>After you do this, either send it directly via email, or print it and fax it (fax numbers provided below).
>
>
>
>Talking Points for e-mails and faxes:
>
>Drilling the Arctic Refuge will not help address America s energy needs:
> * According to the U.S. Geological Survey, it would take at least a decade to tap any oil from the refuge and even then, the mean estimate of economically recoverable oil amounts to just 3.2 billion barrels or less than what the U.S. consumes in six months. Even optimistic estimates for refuge oil would never meet more than 2% of our oil needs.
> * By increasing the fuel efficiency of our cars and trucks by just 3 miles per gallon, we can save more than 1 million barrels of oil a day or five times the amount of oil the refuge might produce. This would do far more to clean the air, reduce prices for consumers, and make us less dependent on imported oil.
> * 95% of Alaska s Arctic coastal lands are already available for oil exploration or development. These lands will be pumping oil and gas for at least the next three decades without drilling the Arctic Refuge.
>Drilling will risk our nation s largest and wildest natural treasures:
> * The Arctic Refuge is home to a greater abundance and more diverse wildlife than any protected area in the circumpolar north. The Reagan Administration called the 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.
> * From America s northernmost forest, to the highest peaks and glaciers of the Brooks Range, to the rolling tundra of the Coastal Plain, no other conservation unit protects a complete range of arctic and sub-arctic lands.
> * The Gwich in Athabaskan people of northeast Alaska and Northwest Canada oppose drilling in the Arctic Refuge because of threats to their subsistence way of life. The National Congress of American Indians, Native American Rights Fund, Episcopal Church, Lutheran Church, United Methodist Church, the Union of Hebrew Congregations and the Canadian Government support the Gwich in and oppose drilling.
> Oil development in Alaska has caused enough environmental damage:
> * Prudhoe Bay and 13 other producing oil fields in the Alaskan Arctic span nearly 1,000 square miles a footprint larger than Rhode Island. The industry is responsible for an average of one spill every day, 55 contaminated waste sites, and twice the nitrogen oxide air pollution as Washington, D.C.
> * Drilling the Arctic Refuge will destroy its untouched wilderness, drain its scarce supplies of fresh water, displace and lead to declines in wildlife populations, pollute the air, and threaten the cultures of native peoples.
> Alaska has no need to raid our protected federal land:
> * Alaska has no state income tax, no state sales tax, and receives more federal pork, per capita, than any state. It also has more state land than the entire landmass of California. Each of its citizens man, woman, and child receives a check each year for about $2,000 from the State s $26 billion Permanent Fund.
> * By a wide margin, the American people oppose drilling in the Arctic Refuge
>A May 2001 survey conducted by Greenberg-Quinlan and the Tarrance Group found that 62% of voters oppose drilling, and a poll commissioned by the Service Employees International Union found that 62% of labor union members opposed drilling as well. The most recent Gallup poll (11/27/01) showed that Americans oppose drilling in the Arctic Refuge 51-44 percent.
>
>Drilling the refuge would impact over a million, not 2,000 acres:
> * The House bill opens the entire 1.5 million acre coastal plain 1002 area of the Arctic Refuge to oil and gas leasing and exploration. An amendment, adopted by the House, that allegedly limited to scope of oil development to 2,000-acres actually does nothing of the sort. Exempted from the acreage total are seismic and exploratory drilling activities, the construction of ice or permanent roads, gravel mines, and pipelines. To put this in perspective, there are over 1,000 miles of pipelines are Prudhoe Bay alone.
> * The limitation also does not require that the 2,000 acres of production and support facilities be in one contiguous area. Thus, as with the oil fields to the west of the Arctic Refuge, development could and would be spread out over hundreds of square miles.
>The following objects could be scattered across the Coastal Plain and remain under the 2,000 acre limitation :
>- 1,500 football fields
>- 5,160 Statue of Libertys
>- 1,340 Washington Monuments
>- 20 Mall of Americas
>- 52 airport runways, 17 times as many as at Dulles International
>
>
>We need real, clean jobs, for American workers, not fictitious ones:
> * Some cite a 1990 American Petroleum Institute (API) funded study that claims drilling the Arctic Refuge will create over 700,000 new jobs. In fact, studies by the respected independent labor economists, like Dean Baker of the Center of Economic and Policy Research, say the correct total is between 0 and 47,000 jobs, with most coming in Alaska.
> * We can create many times more jobs by building a new Alaska natural gas pipeline along an existing right of way corridor and by investing in energy efficiency technologies, alternative fuels, and renewable energy sources. According to a study by the Tellus Institute for the World Wildlife Fund, more than a million new jobs would be created from implementing such a sound policy.
>
>
>Fax Numbers for Senators:
>
>AK
>
><http://murkowski.senate.gov/>Murkowski, Frank (R) 202-224-5301
>
><http://stevens.senate.gov/>Stevens, Ted (R) 202-225-0425
>
>AL
>
><http://sessions.senate.gov/>Sessions, Jeff (R) 202-224-3149
>
><http://shelby.senate.gov/>Shelby, Richard (R) 202-224-3416
>
>AR
>
><http://hutchinson.senate.gov/>Hutchinson, Tim (R) 202-228-3973
>
><http://lincoln.senate.gov/>Lincoln, Blanche (D) 202-228-1371
>
>AZ
>
><http://kyl.senate.gov/>Kyl, Jon (R) 202-224-4521
>
><http://mccain.senate.gov/>McCain, John (R) 202-224-2235
>
>CA
>
><http://boxer.senate.gov/>Boxer, Barbara (D) 415-956-6701
>
><http://feinstein.senate.gov/>Feinstein, Dianne (D) 202-228-3954
>
>CO
>
><http://allard.senate.gov/>Allard, Wayne (R) 202-224-6471
>
><http://campbell.senate.gov/>Campbell, Ben Nighthorse (R) 202-224-1933
>
>CT
>
><http://dodd.senate.gov/>Dodd, Christopher (D) 202-228-1683
>
><http://lieberman.senate.gov/>Lieberman, Joseph (D) 202-224-9750
>
>DE
>
><http://biden.senate.gov/>Biden Jr, Joseph (D) 202-224-0139
>
><http://carper.senate.gov/>Carper, Thomas (D) 202-228-2190
>
>FL
>
><http://graham.senate.gov/>Graham, Bob (D) 202-224-2237
>
><http://billnelson.senate.gov/>Nelson, Bill (D) 202-228-2183
>
>GA
>
><http://cleland.senate.gov/>Cleland, Max (D) 202-224-0072
>
><http://miller.senate.gov/>Miller, Zell (D) 202-228-2090
>
>HI
>
><http://akaka.senate.gov/>Akaka, Daniel (D) 202-224-2126
><http://akaka.senate.gov/>
><http://inouye.senate.gov/>Inouye, Daniel (D) 202-224-2126
>
>IA
>
><http://grassley.senate.gov/>Grassley, Chuck (R) 202-224-6020
>
><http://harkin.senate.gov/>Harkin, Tom (D) 202-224-9369
>
>ID
>
><http://craig.senate.gov/>Craig, Larry (R) 202-228-1067
>
><http://crapo.senate.gov/>Crapo, Mike (R) 202-224-6142
>
>IL
>
><http://durbin.senate.gov/>Durbin, Richard (D) 202-228-0400
><http://durbin.senate.gov/>
><http://fitzgerald.senate.gov/>Fitzgerald, Peter (R) 202-228-1372
>
>IN
>
><http://lugar.senate.gov/>Lugar, Richard (R) 202-228-0360
><http://lugar.senate.gov/>
><http://bayh.senate.gov/>Bayh, Evan (D) 202-228-1377
>
>KS
>
><http://brownback.senate.gov/>Brownback, Sam (R) 202-228-1265
><http://brownback.senate.gov/>
><http://roberts.senate.gov/>Roberts, Pat (R) 202-224-3514
>
>KY
>
><http://mcconnell.senate.gov/>McConnell, Mitch (R) 202-224-2499
><http://mcconnell.senate.gov/>
><http://bunning.senate.gov/>Bunning, Jim (R) 202-228-1373
>
>LA
>
><http://breaux.senate.gov/>Breaux, John (D) 202-224-9735
>
><http://landrieu.senate.gov/>Landrieu, Mary (D) 202-224-9735
>
>MA
>
><http://kennedy.senate.gov/>Kennedy, Edward (D) 202-224-2417
>
><http://kerry.senate.gov/>Kerry, John (D) 202-224-8525
>
>MD
>
><http://mikulski.senate.gov/>Mikulski, Barbara (D) 202-224-8858
><http://mikulski.senate.gov/>
><http://sarbanes.senate.gov/>Sarbanes, Paul (D) 202-224-1651
>
>ME
>
><http://collins.senate.gov/>Collins, Susan (R) 202-224-2693
>
><http://snowe.senate.gov/>Snowe, Olympia (R) 202-224-2693
>
>MI
>
><http://levin.senate.gov/>Levin, Carl (D) 202-224-1388
><http://www.senate.gov/~levin/>
><http://stabenow.senate.gov/>Stabenow, Debbie (D) 202-228-0325
>
>MN
>
><http://dayton.senate.gov/>Dayton, Mark (D) 202-228-2186
><http://www.senate.gov/~wellstone/>
><http://wellstone.senate.gov/>Wellstone, Paul (D) 202-224-8438
>
>MO
>
><http://bond.senate.gov/>Bond, Christopher (R) 202-224-8149
>
><http://carnahan.senate.gov/>Carnahan, Jean (D) 202-228-1518
>
>MS
>
><http://cochran.senate.gov/>Cochran, Thad (R) 202-224-9450
>
><http://lott.senate.gov/>Lott, Trent (R) 202-224-2262
>
>MT
>
><http://baucus.senate.gov/>Baucus, Max (D) 202-228-3687
>
><http://burns.senate.gov/>Burns, Conrad (R) 202-224-8594
>
>NC
>
><http://helms.senate.gov/>Helms, Jesse (R) 202-228-1339
>
><http://edwards.senate.gov/>Edwards, John (D) 202-228-1374
>
>ND
>
><http://dorgan.senate.gov/>Dorgan, Byron (D) 202-224-1193
>
><http://conrad.senate.gov/>Conrad, Kent (D) 202-224-7776-
>
>NE
>
><http://hagel.senate.gov/>Hagel, Charles (R) 202-224-5213
>
><http://bennelson.senate.gov/>Nelson, Ben (D) 202-228-0012
>
>NH
>
><http://gregg.senate.gov/>Gregg, Judd (R) 202-224-3324
>
><http://smith.senate.gov/>Smith, Bob (R) 202-224-1353
>
>NJ
>
><http://torricelli.senate.gov/>Torricelli, Robert (D) 202-228-5803
>
><http://corzine.senate.gov/>Corzine, Jon (D) 202-228-2197
>
>NM
>
><http://bingaman.senate.gov/>Bingaman, Jeff (D) 202-224-2852
><http://www.senate.gov/~domenici/>
><http://domenici.senate.gov/>Domenici, Pete (R) 202-228-0900
>
>NV
>
><http://reid.senate.gov/>Reid, Harry (D) 202-224-7327
><http://www.senate.gov/~bryan/>
><http://ensign.senate.gov/>Ensign, John (R) 202-228-2193
>
>NY
>
><http://schumer.senate.gov/>Schumer, Charles (D) 202-228-3027
><http://www.senate.gov/~moynihan/>
><http://clinton.senate.gov/>Clinton, Hillary (D) 202-228-0282
>
>OH
>
><http://dewine.senate.gov/>DeWine, Mike (R) 202-224-6519
>
><http://voinovich.senate.gov/>Voinovich, George (R) 202-228-1382
>
>OK
>
><http://inhofe.senate.gov/>Inhofe, James (R) 202-228-0380
>
><http://nickles.senate.gov/>Nickles, Don (R) 202-224-6008
>
>OR
>
><http://gsmith.senate.gov/>Smith, Gordon (R) 202-228-3997
>
><http://wyden.senate.gov/>Wyden, Ron (D) 202-228-2717
>
>PA
>
><http://santorum.senate.gov/>Santorum, Rick (R) 202-228-0604
>
><http://specter.senate.gov/>Specter, Arlen (R) 202-228-1229
>
>RI
>
><http://chafee.senate.gov/>Chafee, Lincoln (R) 202-228-2853
>
><http://reed.senate.gov/>Reed, Jack (D) 202-224-4680
>
>SC
>
><http://thurmond.senate.gov/>Thurmond, Strom (R) 202-224-1300
>
><http://hollings.senate.gov/>Hollings, Ernest (D) 202-224-4293
>
>SD
>
><http://daschle.senate.gov/>Daschle, Thomas (D) 202-224-7895
>
><http://johnson.senate.gov/>Johnson, Tim (D) 202-228-5765
>
>TN
>
><http://frist.senate.gov/>Frist, William (R) 202-228-1264
>
><http://thompson.senate.gov/>Thompson, Fred (R) 202-228-3679
>
>TX
>
><http://gramm.senate.gov/>Gramm, Phil (R) 202-228-2856
>
><http://hutchison.senate.gov/>Hutchison, Kay Bailey (R) 202-224-0776
>
>UT
>
><http://bennett.senate.gov/>Bennett, Robert (R) 202-228-1168
>
><http://hatch.senate.gov/>Hatch, Orrin (R) 202-224-6331
>
>VA
>
><http://warner.senate.gov/>Warner, John (R) 202-224-6295
>
><http://allen.senate.gov/>Allen, George (R) 202-224-5432
>
>VT
>
><http://jeffords.senate.gov/>Jeffords, James (I) 202-228-0776
>
><http://leahy.senate.gov/>Leahy, Patrick (D) 202-224-3479
>
>WA
>
><http://murray.senate.gov/>Murray, Patty (D) 202-224-0238
>
><http://cantwell.senate.gov/>Cantwell, Maria (D) 202-228-0514
>
>WI
>
><http://feingold.senate.gov/>Feingold, Russell (D) 202-224-2752
>
><http://kohl.senate.gov/>Kohl, Herb (D) 202-224-9787
>
>WV
>
><http://byrd.senate.gov/>Byrd, Robert (D) 202-228-0002
>
><http://rockefeller.senate.gov/>Rockefeller IV, John (D) 202-224-7665
>
>WY
>
><http://enzi.senate.gov/>Enzi, Mike (R) 202-228-0359
>
><http://thomas.senate.gov/>Thomas, Craig (R) 202-224-1724
>
>
>
>Erik DuMont
>National Field Director
>Alaska Wilderness League
>122 C Street, NW Suite 240
>Washington, DC 20001
>(202) 544-5205, f: (202) 544-5197
>erik at alaskawild.org
>www.alaskawild.org
>
>
>
>
>
>
>______________________________________________
>Joe Scott, Conservation Director
>Northwest Ecosystem Alliance
>1421 Cornwall Avenue, Suite 201
>Bellingham WA 98225
>360/671-9950 (ext. 11),
>fax:671-8429
>jscott at ecosystem.org
>http://www.ecosystem.org
>
>
>
> NWEA broadcasts periodic alerts to three listservs. To subscribe, send a blank-subject email message to: majordomo at onenw.org with <subscribe wildnw>, <subscribe canadatrade>, or <subscribe statelands> (without <> brackets) in the body of the message.
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>

Jack Kintner <kintner at nas.com> Blaine, WA