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Urge Congress to Keep Drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Out of the Federal Budget Process
You can take action on this alert by reading the information below and following the
directions at the bottom.
Arctic Refuge Drilling in FY06 Budget
The House and Senate chambers each introduced their budget legislation for fiscal year (FY) 2006. In the House, Budget Committee Chairman Jim Nussle (R-IA) kept language opening the Arctic Refuge to drilling out of the budget resolution. Unfortunately, Senate Budget Committee Chairman Judd Gregg (R-NH) included language in the Senate budget resolution that would open the Arctic Refuge to drilling. On March 16, an amendment by Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) to delete language in the budget legislation was defeated 49-51.
It is now more important than ever to contact your members of Congress to tell them that you don’t want drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. If you have already sent a letter on this issue, call your members of Congress to reiterate your concerns. If you have not yet sent a letter, use the Refuge Action Network (RAN) to let your elected representatives know that you oppose the inclusion of language in the Budget process that allows drilling in the Arctic Refuge.
Since the House Budget does not currently include a provision to drill in the Arctic Refuge, this issue may be decided in a House/Senate conference committee. Therefore, it is still critical that your members of Congress continue to hear from you on this issue. You are encouraged to thank your Senators that voted for the Cantwell Amendment.
The Arctic NWR, one of the most popular refuges in the National Wildlife Refuge System, is home to musk ox, polar bears, wolves, and many other diverse species of wildlife. The 100-mile coastal plain of the refuge plays a critical role as the calving ground for 129,000 caribou that make up the Porcupine herd. Arctic NWR also provides vital nesting habitat for millions of migratory birds representing 135 species from all over the United States and other countries.
The Arctic Refuge coastal plain represents the last 5% of Alaska’s north coast that remains legally closed to oil and gas exploration and development. The other 95% of Alaska’s coastal plain is already open to potential oil and gas development.
According to a recent U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) assessment, the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPRA) “holds significantly greater petroleum resources than previously estimated.” NPRA is a vast 23-million-acre tract of land west of the Arctic NWR. Recent actions have opened up large areas to drilling in the NPRA, an area the oil industry has shown interest in developing. Conversely, oil industry support for drilling in the Arctic Refuge is waning.
Over the past few years, all the major oil companies except for Exxon Mobil have left Arctic Power, a lobbying group pushing for drilling in the Arctic NWR. Two of the companies that pulled their lobbying efforts, BP and ChevronTexaco, have data from the only well ever drilled within the Arctic Refuge. While this data has been kept secret, neither company is pushing to drill in the Refuge.
Actual oil recovery from drilling in the Arctic Refuge is highly speculative and would require a long lead time. It is also important to recognize that the oil industry operates in a world market. For example, Exxon Mobil explores for oil and natural gas on six of the world’s seven continents, including nearly 40 countries. Whether oil and gas is extracted from U.S. soil or in another country, it belongs to the oil company, and can be sold for use anywhere in the world. Oil and gas exploration on American lands does not equal energy independence for the United States.
Use the Refuge Action Network to contact your senators and representative and tell them the federal budget process is not the place to legislate drilling in the Arctic NWR. You are encouraged to personalize the letter provided below. Urge your elected officials to oppose the inclusion of any language allowing drilling in the Arctic Refuge in the Congressional budget resolution.
Your message will be sent to each of the following targets:
Your U.S. Representative
Your U.S. Senator
A sample message appears below, which you may edit before sending.
Oppose Arctic Refuge Drilling in Budget
Dear Representative,
I am writing to express my strong opposition to the inclusion of any provision in the federal budget that would allow drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The budget process is not the place to legislate drilling in the Arctic or any other national wildlife refuge (NWR).
Currently, 95% of Alaska’s coastal plain is already open to potential oil and gas development. Arctic NWR, representing the remaining 5%, is the only place on Alaska’s North Slope that remains legally closed to exploration and development. In fact, west of the Arctic Refuge, large areas of the National Petroleum Reserve—Alaska (NPR-A) were recently opened up to energy development. Further, the oil industry has shown support for drilling in the NPR-A, while backing away from efforts to drill in the Arctic NWR.
The Arctic Refuge is home to a spectacular diversity of wildlife, including musk ox, polar bears and wolves, among others. The Porcupine caribou herd migrates 700 miles to the coastal plain of the Arctic Refuge, which serves as a calving ground. Millions of migratory birds also utilize the Arctic Refuge, coming from all fifty states and other parts of the world.
Please oppose any provision in the federal budget process to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas drilling. Controversial issues such as drilling in a national wildlife refuge should be considered by Congress in a fair and open process.
Thank you for considering my request. Your name and address here
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