Town Hall Meeting

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* WILDALERT — Friday, March 11, 2005
* Brought to you by The Wilderness Society
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ARCTIC REFUGE ACTION NEEDED

This week, the House and Senate budget committees split over
whether or not to include proposals to allow drilling in
America’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to be included in the
federal budget. The Senate budget has such a provision; the
House bill does not.

During the next 4-5 days, we ask you to bear with us as we ask
you to again take action. Today and Monday, we urgently need
your phone calls and faxes to your representative in the House.
Early next week we will ask you to contact your senators. More
detail is below.

CALL NOW

You can call the switchboard 202-224-3121, or use our online
contact directory to look up the direct phone number for your
representative.

Your message:
Please do all you can to ensure that the House Budget does not
allow drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
If you cannot call, please click here to send an email.

BACKGROUND

House Bill Free of Arctic Refuge Provision

This week, the House and Senate Budget Committees marked up the
budget. The House budget resolution has no Arctic provision in
it.
But drilling proponents may still have opportunities to slip
Arctic drilling past the House through the budget process, if
House Members are not actively vigilant. We need you to keep
pressure on your Representative to make sure that this cannot
happen.

Senate Bill Includes Arctic Refuge Drilling

In the Senate, Senate Budget Committee Chairman Judd Gregg
(R-NH) decided to include the controversial drilling provision
in the Senate version. Despite opposition from several Senators
in his own party, Senator Gregg said he thought it was
“reasonable” to assume that the drilling provision would remain
in the budget. Our WildAlert members in New Hampshire are
working hard to deliver a message to Sen. Gregg that this
position is unacceptable.

During the budget committee meeting, Senator Russ Feingold
(D-WI) offered an amendment to strip the Arctic drilling
provision out of the budget resolution. The amendment failed on
a straight party-line vote, 10-12.

Next week, the Senate is scheduled to have a floor debate on the
budget resolution. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) will go to the
Senate floor with an amendment to remove the provision that
allows drilling in America’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Please take action today or Monday!

As you can see, our efforts to protect the unequalled Arctic
Refuge are far from over.

WE NEED YOUR CALLS AND EMAILS TO THE HOUSE TODAY AND MONDAY!

Call the switchboard 202-224-3121 or use our online contact
directory to look up the direct phone number for your
Representative.

Your message:
Please do all you can to ensure that the House Budget does not
allow drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

If you want to say more:
Opening the Arctic Refuge to drilling through the budget process
would be fiscally irresponsible, since no one knows the amount
or value of oil that is there. Moreover, it would ruin a
wilderness and wildlife habitat that is unequalled any where on
earth. This is one place where drilling must not take place.

After you call, or if you cannot call, send an email.

Our WildAlert members have done a remarkable job contacting
Congress on this issue. Thank you! With your continued help, we
can ensure the protection of the Arctic Refuge.

WORDS TO INSPIRE

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed
citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that
ever has.” – Margaret Mead