Fun_People Archive
17 May
Opposition to offshore drilling

Date: Wed, 17 May 95 13:22:00 PDT
From: Peter Langston <psl>
To: Fun_People
Subject: Opposition to offshore drilling

Forwarded-by: lanih@info.berkeley.edu (Lani Herrmann)
Forwarded-by: arminius@nature.berkeley.edu
Forwarded-by: owner-bioenergy@crest.org

                                   ACTION ALERT
			    PLEASE ... FORWARD MESSAGE
       [See end of message for information on charging calls to Exxon.]
 ******************************************************************************
 From:    IN%"scohn@nature.Berkeley.EDU"   "Steven Cohn"
 To:      espm-net@nature.Berkeley.EDU
 Subject: Contract ON America

 The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the Outer Continental Shelf in
 California and Alaska have just been put up for auction. (for reference,
 see SF Chronicle, p. A19, May 11)

 Yesterday, the GOP announced plans to lift the 14-year moratorium on
 oil drilling in withdrawn outer continental shelf areas in Alaska and
 California.  "If the moratorium is overturned, drilling could begin in
 Alaska's Bristol Bay almost immediately, and leases could be approved for
 the central California coast by 1997."  Please call your Representative
 and urge them to oppose lifting this moratorioum. (Capitol switchboard #
 is 202-224-3121).

 Also this week, as part of the House and Senate GOP Budget Resolutions,
 the Republicans have "generously" offered to raise $1.25-1.4 billion for
 our ailing federal coffers by leasing exploratory oil rights in the
 Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska.  They seem to forget that this
 environmental (not fiscal) issue has been vehemently debated in Congress
 for nearly a decade, and was soundly rejected by the US Senate in 1991.
 However, in typical "Contract" fashion, they are attempting to circumvent
 the interests of the American people by using a sneaky, back-door
 approach.  The Budget process is notorious for its denial of public
 participation and serves as the premier feeding ground for pork-hungry
 Members of Congress.

 Oil development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge has the potential
 to greatly disturb the natural functioning of the northern Arctic
 environment.  Disruption of the Arctic ecosystem will also have
 disastrous consequences for the thousands of Athapaskan Native Americans
 who depend on the wildlife resources of the Refuge for their
 subsistence.  The Budget process is not the proper forum for debate on
 such a complex environmental issue, and any language authorizing drilling
 should be removed.

 The GOP Budget Resolution is expected to come to the Senate floor as
 early as Wednesday, May 17.  California Senators Dianne Feinstein and
 Barbara Boxer have a reputation for being tough fighters in Congress, but
 they need to be bolstered by their constituents.  Please call them and
 ask them to stand up on the Senate floor and vote the Refuge
 drilling provision out of the Budget bill.


 Dianne Feinstein: (DC) 202-224-3841, (SF) 415-249-4777, (LA) 310-914-7300

 Barbara Boxer: (DC) 202-224-3553, (SF) 415-403-0100, (SD) 619-239-3884



 If you receive this alert and live in another state, please call your
 Senators with the same message.  (Capital switchboard # is
 202-224-3121)


 If you have any questions, feel free to call me at 202-664-2853 or Lenny
 Kohm, Outreach Coordinator for the Last Great Wilderness Project, at
 910-877-1551.  Also feel free to forward this message to any and all
 friends who you think would be interested.

 Thanks,
 Steve Cohn
 ************************************************************************

 Note, Exxon has set-up a toll-free number for calling Congress to lobby
 against environmental legislation. The number is 800-444-1555.  It will
 only be in effect until they succeed in rolling back certain legislation.
 They have advertised this number in the newspapers, so it is fair game.
 Note that you will be asked for name and address info.  You may want to
 give your own, or, in the spirit of that great American, Abbie Hoffman's.
 Certainly, Abbie would approve.

© 1995 Peter Langston