Protect Sea Otters in Bristol Bay from Drilling

Dear U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar,

As someone who supports wildlife conservation and smart energy policies, I am writing to urge you to reconsider the Bush-era decision to allow oil and gas exploration in Alaska's ecologically sensitive Bristol Bay. The moratorium on offshore oil and gas drilling in this area should become permanent.

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In addition to being home to the largest sockeye salmon run in the world, Bristol Bay provides vital habitat for hundreds of fish species, dozens of marine mammal species -- including threatened northern sea otters, walruses and several species of imperiled whales -- and is home to one of the world's largest concentrations of seabird colonies. Bristol Bay and the northern Bering Sea also supply more than 40% of all U.S. fish catch and bring in more than $2 billion a year.

The federal Minerals Management Service estimates that this region holds less than 1% of all oil and 2% of all gas resources that are technically recoverable in the entire Outer Continental Shelf.

The long-term value of the renewable fisheries that operate in Bristol Bay far outweighs the short-term value of nonrenewable fossil fuel extraction in the area. Risking this ecological and economic powerhouse for short-term gain -- and with potentially devastating results -- is unwise and should be reconsidered.

The National Marine Fisheries Service recommends removing Bristol Bay from the offshore leasing program, calling plans to drill there "unrealistically ambitious" and experts point to an alarming lack of credible scientific research to gauge potential impacts of oil and gas drilling in this sensitive and volatile area.

Federal studies predict at least one major spill as well as a number of smaller spills if drilling occurs in Bristol Bay. The sea ice, high tides and strong currents that occur in this area would make any spill -- whether small or large -- difficult, if not impossible to contain and clean up.

Furthermore, the four national wildlife refuges that can be found near Bristol Bay -- including world-renowned Izembek National Wildlife Refuge -- and the fish and wildlife populations they protect could be negatively impacted in the regular course of offshore oil and gas development, even if developers manage to avoid a catastrophic spill. We cannot afford another Exxon Valdez.

I hope you will make the prudent decision to continue to protect Bristol Bay and the fish and wildlife that need this special place to survive. The risks are just too great to come to any other decision on this important matter.

Thank you for taking my views into consideration as you make important decisions about offshore oil and gas development in the Outer Continental Shelf. I look forward to your reply.